Love
by Miss Anonymous hp
Summary: A series of drabbles all about the relationship between Hyuuga Neji and Uchiha Sasuke. Each drabble is inspired by a single word. YAOI NejiSasu, SasuNeji
1. Alluring

** Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto. Nope. Not me. Try the guy down the street... he might.

**Author's Note**: This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

Also, each drabble is written based off of the inspiration I get from one word. If you have a word that you would like to see a drabble based off of, drop it off in your review, and it will most likely eventually show up. I already have a long list of words I'm working off of already, so it might be a while yet. Or it might not if it gives me instant inspiration.

Enjoy!

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**Alluring**

There was something about Sasuke that was enticing. It was why all the girls would chase after him even if he glared at them in annoyance. It was why all the teachers favored him even if he let their praise roll off of him with indifference. It was why all of the guys wanted to be acknowledged by him even if he ignored them all in arrogance.

There was just _something_ about Uchiha Sasuke.

Neji, himself, had been pulled into that alluring presence the moment he saw him right before the first Chunnin Exam. The need to know who that dark haired and dark eyed boy had been strong, and even when he was easily dismissed, he had been intrigued.

Even now, almost ten years later, he still held that same desirable air. Except now it caused more of a problem for the pale-eyed boy than it did then.

Especially when said desire was sticking his tongue halfway down his throat.

"Nrgh… Sasuke… I've got a…" _Moan._ "…mission."

Pinned against the wall, clothes becoming scarce… Neji knew where this was leading, but he _really _had to—

_Gasp. _

"I guess…" _Pant._ "…it can wait… five minutes…"

Yes, there was definitely _something_ about Sasuke, and it was just all the more noticeable when he was sticking his hand down your pants.


	2. Kisses

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I wish I did. I really do. But I don't. Unfortunately. 'Cause, you know, I would do such a better job... Cough.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

This drabble started out as being in present tense. Then I changed it to past tense. Then present tense. Past tense. Present tense. Past tense... So, more than likely, there are probably a few tense mistakes in here. But, what can you do?

Enjoy!

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**Kisses**

It had meant to be a joke. The Uchiha had been brooding, and Neji had found himself tired of his depression. So, the Hyuuga had broken the silence with a trademark sarcastic remark.

"Do you want a kiss to make you feel better?"

Sasuke gave him a disgusted look. "I don't like sweets."

It took Neji a moment to realize what the heck he was talking about. He thought about correcting him but decided not to. Instead he asked, "Why not?"

"Because," he said.

"Because why?"

"Because… they do nothing to help the body. Wasteful and pointless. I don't like things like that," Sasuke muttered.

"But they taste good," Neji said, taking a seat beside him.

"It's still worthless."

Neji decided to prove him wrong with a quick swoop. Their lips were touching, neither of their eyes were closed though, and they just stayed like that for a moment. Then the pale-eyed boy pulled back.

"Just because it doesn't help the body doesn't mean that it's worthless," he explained.

He stood, ready to walk away, when he was suddenly pulled back down onto the couch next to the Uchiha. Again, their lips were pressed together, but this time their eyes were closed and Sasuke's tongue was begging for entrance which Neji granted.

When they finally broke apart again, they were breathless.

"Guess you're right," Sasuke muttered.

Neji smiled.


	3. Embracing

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I own Sasuke. Yup. Him and his chicken-butt haircut are ALL mine. Mmhmm... (Or... maybe not. Heh.)

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

This is probably my favorite drabble so far even though it does not really address NejiSasu. Still, though, I lurve Lee, and even if I'm not that big of a LeeSaku fan, I can still appreciate it. Heh. Just remember, PDA is bad, kids. (Okay, not really, but it's still funny.)

Oh! And to cut back on time, review replies are on my bio that way I can reply to you all at the same time. Going from name to name is too troublesome... I'm lazy. Like Shikamaru. Yup.

Enjoy!

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**Embracing**

It was the middle of the day, in the middle of the park, in the middle of Konoha and they were… _embracing_. Sasuke grimaced and turned away from the sight. Naruto had long since passed out from shock, obviously distraught that his precious Sakura would choose Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast over him.

Sasuke just found it disgusting.

"YOSH! Explore your flames of youth, Lee!" Gai-sensei cried, rivers of tears falling down his face.

"Oi, Sakura, aren't you going to get back to training?" Kakashi-sensei asked, staring at his little orange book.

Neither of the lovebirds seemed to hear him.

"Lee," Tenten sighed, "we've got to go. Tsunade-sama has a mission for us."

Again, they ignored the interruption and continued… with what they were doing. Sasuke tried not to pay too much attention to it. He turned his head to the side, looking anywhere but toward them, and caught Neji's eye.

He looked as horrified and disgusted as the Uchiha did.

It was decided, right then, that if they ever came out about their relationship, they would never, _ever_ do that in public.


	4. Voyage

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I do not _want_ to own Naruto. I want to own Neji. Or Sasuke. Or both. But that shall never happen... Sigh.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis simple as that.

School is starting soon... I'm not looking forward to that. Will the updates slow down once school starts? I... do not know, to tell you the truth. I guess we'll see. Also, I'm thinking of starting a Harry Potter/Naruto crossover that will have NejiSasu on the side... Sound interesting? Of course, I won't start it till I'm done with my Digimon fic that I'm trying to get done, but just seeing if it sounds interesting or not.

Enjoy!

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**Voyage**

"It says here that the mission was completed without a problem," Tsunade said, looking at the mission report in her hand.

"That is correct, Hokage-sama," Neji replied.

"Then why did the two of you take the maximum amount of time given to get back? It sounds like you could have been back ten hours ago," she said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at the two prodigies in front of her.

Neither of them wavered under her stare, however. Both being far better experts at the death glare probably made them immune to it, she guessed.

"There were… occurrences during our travels to and from the Rock Country," the pale-eyed boy explained.

"Occurrences?" she repeated.

"Like storms and thieves," Sasuke muttered in an uncaring tone. "Nothing worth mentioning."

"I see…" she murmured. She looked at the two shinobi in front of her, trying to see if they were lying or not. Being the most stoic boys in the whole village, however, they did not give a thing away. Sighing, she leaned back in her seat. "Fine; you are both dismissed. Good work."

They both nodded and turned to leave. Tsunade's jaw dropped in surprise at what she saw at the base of Sasuke's jaw line. Once left alone, she raised an eyebrow to herself and asked, "Was that… a hickey?"


	5. Blossoms

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. Still. Even after all my hardwork of trying to come up with a suitable argument, they just won't _budge!_

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

I got my hair cut yesterday and while looking at it in the mirror, I realized that it looks _exactly_ like Hinata's post-timejump hairstyle. Considering that I'm not a huge fan of her new look (I was always a fan of the short hairstyle that she had), I don't know whether or not to be happy about this. I love Hinata, I even RP as her from time to time, but still...

Enjoy!

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**Blossoms**

He was trying with all his might not to laugh. Neji was glaring at him daring him to say a _word_, and all Sasuke could do was focus all of his self control into not laughing. He had to stare at his sandals, unable to look at Neji at the moment, while taking deep breaths. Finally, sure that he had complete control again, he met Neji's eyes (which still held that deadly glare).

"It looks good on you," he commented, finally. And really, it did, even if it was a bit… well…

"It's pink," Neji deadpanned.

Sasuke gave a nod. "Yes, it is." He paused and added, "And it has flowers on it."

Neji glowered. Sasuke was tempted to point out that glaring at him did not do much good when he was doing so in a pink, flower-printed yukata, but instead he just smirked back at him. He supposed that it would not have been as bad if Neji had worn the yukata with dignity and without a single trace of shame, but the fact that the Hyuuga was having his own private tantrum just made it all the more funny.

So, Sasuke could not really help but comment at this point. "Are you going to get your hair done next? Maybe in a twist with little matching flowers…?"

He grinned at Neji's back as he stormed off, muttering about stupid festivals and stupid yukatas and stupid Uchihas… The dark-eyed boy followed after him at a leisurely pace, wondering what the Hyuuga would look like with little white blossoms in his hair.


	6. Stars

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. My measly little piggy-bank could never hold enough cash to buy off the rights, unfortunately...

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

I feel like, as the days draw closer and closer, that I'm heading toward my doom. I really do not want school to start again. I like this lazying around the house, not really having any plans, and just writing. Writing whenever I feel like it about whatever I feel like it... why can't people live lives like that all the time? Why does school even have to exist? I wish it didn't... I don't want to go to school.

Enjoy!

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**Stars**

Neji had come to tell Sasuke's moods based on where his eyes were focused. If he was staring at the ground, it meant he was trying very hard to ignore his surroundings either out of embarrassment or anger. If he was staring off to the side, it meant he was trying to hold an air of indifference to the whole situation. If he was staring straight ahead, it meant he was trying to see the world head on with a challenging glare. If he was staring above him, though…

That was when Neji would begin to worry.

When Sasuke was staring above him, his eyes not quite focused on anything in particular, Neji knew that he was thinking of something that was making his heart tear and wrench. He always tried to catch him when he started to go off on this tangent, always tried to get his thoughts away from whatever he was thinking of, but it did not always work.

The worst times were when Neji would have to resort to sex just to get Sasuke to look elsewhere. Most of the time, it would work, and Sasuke would be Sasuke again and his already fragile heart would be allow to heal a little more. There were times, though, that in the afterglow of their lovemaking, Neji would look over and once again catch Sasuke staring through their bedroom window up toward the sky, and he would know that he had just put off the inevitable.

Nights following those sorts of events were always filled with nightmares and gasps that were quite not sobs and murmurings of "Everything's alright now". Then Sasuke would cling to him like a frightened child, and Neji would hold him until he fell back asleep.

Neji would not go to back to sleep, though. He would stay awake and watch his lover, knowing that more nightmares would follow, knowing that he would be needed again, while the stars watched from overhead.


	7. Angel

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. No matter how many times you ask me, that will not change. Unfortunately.

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

So, I've shown a bit of LeeSaku earlier in this fic, but other than that... I have not shown any other couples. Any shipping that you guys prefer? Just name it, and it will show it's face. I was thinking of doing a drabble that mentioned NejiTen. Maybe. Not a huge fan of that couple (obviously, considering that I'm writing NejiSasu), but even still, I've been more inclined to LeeTen. So, what would you like to see?

Enjoy.

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**Angel**

Neji always wore white.

It did not matter where he was going or what he was doing, he _always_ wore white. The only time that Sasuke had ever seen him lacking his usual light garb was at the Third Hokage's funeral, and even then, his eyes had seemed to be glowing more-so than usual, making up for what he lacked in clothing.

As ANBU partners, Sasuke and Neji looked like opposites.

Neji wore white. He had on his standard gray ANBU vest, with the standard gray arm guards, but beyond that, he wore white. White shirt, white pants, white sandals, white gloves… His bird mask was almost completely bare except for the minimal amount of lines drawn in red to make the animal distinguishable.

Sasuke wore black. Beyond the standards, he was draped in black clothing, looking like night personified. His mask was covered in dark greens, blues, and blacks as they shaped the mask into the face of a snake.

He carried a katana on his back, a pouch filled with shuriken and kunai on his left leg, and a pouch filled with scrolls, exploding tags, and windmill blades on his right.

Neji opted to go without weapons most of the time.

Sasuke fought with a ferocious grace as his spat fire, kicked enemies, and sliced them down with his weapons.

Neji fought with an elegance that only a Hyuuga could master that left his enemies dead before they even knew what was happening.

They were opposites… and yet they were the same.

When Sasuke killed, his victims saw a demon.

When Neji killed, his victims saw an angel.

Neji _always_ wore white.


	8. Lovers

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. That's that. Nothing can change it. Sigh. 

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis as simple as that.

Wow. I almost forgot to update today. I don't know why... it just kind of slipped my mind until I had nothing to do and was just kind of sitting here bored... and then I was like, "OH YEAH! I need to update!" So, luckily I remembered in the end or else this would have been the first day without an update. That would have been sad.

This drabble is all about SEX. It does not describe sex in detail, but if you get squirmish at the mention of it, you may want to skip this one. It is because of this drabble (and a few others similar to it) that this story is rated T in the first place. So... no complaints. I have warned you.

Enjoy!

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**Lover**

They had both been virgins the first time they had sex. It had been awkward and filled with contrasting movements of unsure hesitance and passion filled urgency. Neither of them had really known what they were doing, and so the night had not turned out to be a dream come true.

Instead, it had left Neji feeling dirty and Sasuke with a bitter taste in his mouth.

They both made a silent agreement that it would not happen again, and then they parted. For six months, the two prodigies went on with life as though their passion filled encounter had never happened.

Then one night Sasuke decided to train late. That same night, Neji found that he could not get to sleep, so he ventured to the training ground. There, he found the Uchiha. Neither are quite sure how it happened, but one moment Neji was simply watching him train and the next they were in a position very similar to that night six months earlier.

Except this time it was with a little more confidence, a little more knowledge, and it had felt a damn lot better. That night, it left Neji feeling tired but complete and Sasuke with a satisfied smile on his lips. Still, they left with the thought that it would definitely _not_ happen again, and then they parted.

But it did happen again.

And again.

And again.

And _again_.

And really, by the seventh time, they had finally come to realize that it was more than likely going to happen again, so they stopped relying on random secluded encounters and started heading to each other's apartment.

A knock, a click, a creak, a smile, a smirk, a step, a tug of the shirt, a loss of pants, a pair of roaming hands, an active tongue, a tumble, a jerk, a moan, a hiss, a push, a thrust, a gasp, a cry… and a silence most comfortable.

A fight of lovers was what it was. A routine they were both inclined to, and when a year and a half later they moved in with each other, nobody questioned them. After all, it was not uncommon for a shinobi to find a roommate when most of them do not even see their houses more than a few times a year.

So, they lived together. Two prodigies: virgins and awkward at first, experienced and comfortable in the end. Lovers.


	9. Elation

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. That I know of. Maybe I do and just don't know it! YEAH! That's gotta be it! (Pssh, yeah right)

**Author's Note: **School starts tomorrow! _Nuuuuuuuuuu!_ That's the only thing on my mind right now... That's the only thing I can think about! It's driving me crazy! AHHHHH! Also, I need advice. What did I do wrong with this chapter? The love declaration seems so false. Somebody give me a bit of criticism, please!

Enjoy!

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**Elation**

Sasuke had a list of the worst days in his life: the day Itachi massacred his clan, the day he almost killed Naruto at the Valley of the End, the day Orochimaru tried to take his body, the day Orochimaru _did_ take his body but in a completely different sense… Sasuke's list of the worst days in his life was a long one to be sure.

"Sasuke?"

"Hn."

"Why do we do this?"

His list of the best days of his life was rather short, though, and only included those days that he could simply think back on and _smile_ about. Those days were few and far between, but they were still worth everything to him. There was the day Team 7 was first formed, once put on his most annoying days in his life list, and the people that would become some of the most important to him were first introduced. Then there was the day several months after his return from Orochimaru that he was told that he was being bumped up to Chunnin, even without going through the exam, and given the status of ANBU because four other ANBU officers had recommended it: Naruto, Shikamaru, Lee, and Neji.

"What do you mean?"

"Why do we get together like this? Is there a reason?"

The best day in his life, however, by far, was the day he made Jounin.

"…Does there have to be a reason?"

"No. I guess not."

It was not because of the title he received. It was not because he was told that in a year's time he would be head of ANBU. It was not because Naruto was also told that in a year's time he would be Hokage. It was not because of the party that followed or even because of the gathering of the old ANBU team that happened after everybody else had passed out.

"Neji?"

"Hn."

"I think I know the reason."

No, it was not because of any of that.

"Then what is it?"

"…Because I love you."

Pause. "Good. 'Cause I love you, too."


	10. Sensuality

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I'm not kinky like that. Gosh.

I've just decided that 6 AM is _way_ to early to get up in the morning and 6:20 AM is _way_ to early to update a story. It's really hard to read over something for mistakes when you're only half awake, y'know. But I don't think it'll be a problem. This is my favorite drabble so far! I am so happy with it!

However, there are a few WARNINGS to go with this drabble. Pretty bad language. Brief description of sex from an outside party. Hints of NaruSasu (I meant them as friendship, but some people are just too paranoid for their own good). And maybe the possibility of being spoiled toward the end... even if I am rather vague on what the hell I am talking about. Just know that if you are only watching the American anime, you won't know what I'm talking about.

Enjoy!

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**Sensuality**

Sasuke just oozed sensuality. Naruto had never realized it before. He should have seen it, but he never had. It was part of his nature to be rather oblivious, but still… he should have seen it. It took until he was pinned up against the wall by the black-haired boy before he actually took the time to see it.

It was Sasuke's birthday. Even if he never celebrated it, Naruto thought he ought to drop by to wish him a happy birthday at the very least, except he had not answered the door. Naruto knocked for a good fifteen to twenty minutes before finally deciding that he was going to just walk right on in…

What he saw would probably be burned into his mind for the rest of his life.

There were two people in Sasuke's bedroom. Both of them were naked. And one of them was obviously thrusting into the other like there was no tomorrow.

Now, Naruto was not stupid. He could be slow at times, but he was not stupid. But even he did not need any time to figure out what was going on.

Dark brown hair fell in sweaty drapes over the standing boy's shoulders while messy blue-black hair molded into the couch of the boy below him. Both lost in their ecstasy, neither quite heard him come in, but it did not take long for them to sense his presence. Once they did, they both turned to look at him at the exact same time.

Then, Sasuke was jumping from Neji and asking what the fuck was he doing there?

But Naruto's mouth was dry, and he could not say a word. Then Sasuke had on a pair of pants, still waiting for an answer, and Neji was halfway dressed, looking awkward and perhaps even a little guilty.

But why? Why would he feel guilty?

Except for the fact that Naruto was pissed at him like it was his fault that Sasuke decided to let the other boy fuck his brains out. Like it was his fault that Naruto was horribly jealous.

Yes, jealous.

Not jealous in the way that he wanted to be in Neji's position. Not in that way. He just… he wanted to be Sasuke's number one person like Sasuke had once said he was back before that horrible battle. He did not want to be forgotten. He did not want his precious person to forget about him… so, he was jealous, because Neji got to be in a place that Naruto never could be.

Then he realized that he still hadn't answered, because Sasuke had pushed him up against the wall and was growling out a long, annoyed Well? And Neji was tying on his hitai-ate, which meant he probably was going to be leaving soon, which would probably explain why Sasuke was so pissed. And, it was right there in that moment, that Naruto realized that he was being stupid.

Jealous? Of Neji? What the hell was he thinking?

He would be the only one to ever see this look in Sasuke's eyes. The look that plainly said What the hell is your problem, you fucking moron? The look that insulted him and called him his best friend at the same time. It was a look only he would see, and while he would probably never see some other looks that Sasuke would have reserved for Neji only, he knew that would not matter.

He did not need to be jealous.

Sasuke was still his. He just had to share him now.


	11. Heart

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Or his orange sweatshirt. Or his sandals. Or his goofy grin. Or...

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis simple as that.

6 AM is still too early to get up... -yawn- Ummm... right, nobody took the last drabble the way I meant them to. Or, at the very least, the ones who reviewed did not take it the way I meant it. Oh well. What I was trying to get across is that Sasuke and Naruto are partners. You can't just cut Naruto out of Sasuke's life and hope that Neji fills that gap because... well... Neji's too much like Sasuke in that respect.

Sasuke needs Naruto to be his balance just like Neji needs Lee. Without having Lee's friendship, you saw what happened to Neji! (And if you're caught up in the manga or anime, you see what happens when the other happens...) Oh well. Maybe I'm just too much of a lover of those friendships.

Enjoy!

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**Heart**

Every morning, they saw each other. 6:05 AM sharp, they would both be there, walking in opposite directions. They would pass each other right in front of the dango shop without fail.

Sasuke would be heading to the bridge, ready to train with his old Genin team even if he was already preparing for his Jounin exam. Neji would be heading to Training Ground 13, also getting ready to train with his old Genin team, all three of them ready for their exam as well.

They never spoke. To outsiders, it would appear that they did not even acknowledge each other's presence. Sasuke, with his hands in his pockets and shoulders slouched, would keep his eyes on the ground, and Neji, with his arms crossed over his chest and standing straight, would continually stare ahead without ever averting his gaze. They seemed to not even notice each other.

But they did.

Every morning, they saw the other coming toward them—their reflection, their opposite, their _other_—and they would both hide smiles that threatened to spread across their face. Because they knew, without a doubt, that this _other_ understood them. Without even having to speak a word to each other, they knew.

And so they saw each other every morning at 6:05 AM. They would pass each other on the street and for the briefest moment when they were standing side by side, they would acknowledge each other with a quick flick of the eyes. Then, once passed, they would both smile inwardly, because they knew, even if onlookers didn't, that they understood each other _perfectly_.

So when they began to walk closer than necessary to each other on an empty street, and when they began to brush up against each other as they passed, they did not say why. Because they understood, they both did, because their hearts knew that there were no words needed.


	12. Giving

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. They keep rejecting my offers for some odd reason... ($2 just doesn't cut it, I guess.)

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

So, I forgot to update yesterday! It was on COMPLETE accident, I swear. I woke up an hour late (like I did okay), but that's okay because I get up two hours before I have to leave. However, yesterday I had a homework assignment that I had been planning on doing in the morning, and one hour--as most of you all know--is barely just enough time to write an essay. Then, when I got home, I went straight to my bed and took a nap. So, that is why I did not update.

WARNING: There is a mention of SEX in this chapter; no description, but I'm still warning you anyway. Why? Because I've noticed that I get... _odd_, I guess is the word for it, responses when Ihave drabbles that mention sex. And since I'm a trained actress, I usually gauge reponses based on facial expressions... since I can't see your faces, I can't tell what your responses mean! So... do you all not like the sex mention at all? Or...?

Enjoy!**  
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**Giving**

Sasuke was sentimental.

Neji would have never pinned him as the type, but after living with him for only a week, he began to notice the signs. Sasuke was never in bed or even home when he woke up, but there was always breakfast waiting for him on the table. He never told him when he was leaving, but Neji often found perfectly scrawled notes telling him when he would be back. And though they never went out to dinner, Sasuke made home cooked meals whenever he could.

Anniversaries were another thing entirely.

Again, Neji never pinned Sasuke as the type to be romantic, but he was proven wrong on their one month (a date, that he guiltily admitted, he did not see the need to remember). He was given one full hour of "Neji, lie down and don't do a damn thing" while Sasuke went to town on his body. Their two month went pretty much the same way with _two_ hours of attention plus a special bottle of wine to start things off with. Their six month was spent at a private hot spring in which Sasuke had somehow managed to convince all of the staff to take the day off, and with Neji's Byakugan they were able to enjoy their day in peace and privacy.

Sasuke even managed to remember the date that Neji's father died. That day, he woke up with a heavy heart like all the times before, and found that Sasuke was actually still in bed with him. Neither of them having a mission, they sat in bed all day, not saying a word. And when, a little more than a month later, the anniversary for the Uchiha Clan massacre came around, Neji made sure to get up before his lover to give him the same courtesy.

Then there were birthdays.

Neji had remembered Sasuke's birthday and had left a knife sharpening rod in the living room the night before for him to find the next day as he knew Sasuke would be gone by the time he woke up. There had been no 'thank you', but he saw that by that night, it had already been put to use. On his own birthday, he woke up to an empty bed and an empty house. He went to the Hokage, did a quick seven hour mission, and then came back. When he got to the Uchiha compound, however, the first them he saw was an arrow pointing down the hallway away from their usual space.

Curious, he followed it only to find another arrow. Quite amused and beyond questioning now, he followed the arrows through hallways and doorways until he came to the old training space that had been meant for Sasuke's family. Now, though, it was cleaned out and redecorated to resemble something that would be found in the Hyuuga compound instead; a room that was obviously meant for meditation. And there, in the center of the room in a rather novice position, was Sasuke, eyes closed and meditating. Next to him was a free cushion, and with a smirk, Neji went over and got himself comfortable.

He showed his appreciation for that particularly thoughtful gift later that night. After all, nobody but the Uchiha would know that he valued his meditation time almost above all else.

The greatest gift, however, that Neji ever received from Sasuke was on a day that had no particular meaning attached to it. He woke up alone, as usual, but in the place that Sasuke usually slept was a small black box. In the box was a simple silver ring.

Neji stared at it for several moments before realizing that there was a note attached to the bottom of the box.

_I have a mission_, it read. _I should be back by tomorrow afternoon. _

_I love you._

- _Sasuke_


	13. Darling

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. Not today. Not tomorrow. Maybe some day, I will...

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

School is exhausting. Other than that... I really don't have much to say. -blinks- That's a first. Usually I ramble on and on... Ummm... yeah.

A reminder: Review Replies can be found on my bio page at the bottom. I reply to everybody... so, if you forgot... there they are... Ummm...

Enjoy!

* * *

**Darling**

He blinked. "What did you call me?"

Sasuke looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"Just now. What did you call me?"

"I didn't call you anything."

"Yes, you did." Pause. "You called me '_Darling_'." Neji was grinning.

Then he was blushing. "I did _not!_"

"You did. I heard it."

"You're hearing things." He growled. But he was only angry because he was embarrassed, something that, Neji had to admit, he was eating right up.

"…"

"…_What?_" Sasuke finally ground out after being stared at by the longhaired boy for a good five minutes.

"What?" Neji asked, innocently.

"What are you staring at?"

"You, obviously." No reason to lie.

"Well, _stop_. I'm trying to concentrate." He went back to reading his scroll.

Neji smirked. "We both know that you don't need to concentrate to memorize that scroll."

"_I don't fucking care!_" came the frustrated growl. "Just shut the hell up and _stop staring at me._"

He looked away, as asked. "Sure thing… Darling."

Sasuke slammed his hand down onto the table. "I did _not_—"

"Okay," he said, easily. "You didn't call me that." Even though he did. "But I'm calling you that."

There was a pause. Then the sure signs of a pleased blush appeared on the younger boy's face. Oh yes, Neji was _definitely_ eating this up.


	14. Rose

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. The only thing I own is my precious moments doll... it's so purdy... LOOK AT THE LOVABLE EYES!

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis simple as that.

Many people have been asking that I make my chapters longer. The problem with that is that if I write longer chapters, it takes more time. I don't mind writing longer chapters... there's just always the possibility that I'll have to stop updating everyday because of it. So... who knows. I'll probably keep some of my chapters short... but others I'll make long for ya'll. That sound good? And when I say long, I mean... a page and a half on size 9 verdana. So, it's actually not that long in the end, anyway. Heh.

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Rose**

One hour late.

Sasuke was supposed to return from his mission an hour ago. Naruto was not worried, though. He kept going on about how Sasuke was strong and would get back soon. "He's probably just taking his damn time," he grumbled. Naruto was not worried, so Neji decided not to be worried either.

Five hours late.

Naruto was pacing now. Sakura had joined them and was biting her fingernails in worry. Neji stayed silent and waiting. Naruto was still going on about how the bastard was just making them wait for nothing. "He's probably laughing at us right now," he growled. Neji wanted to believe him. But it was starting to get dark.

Twelve hours late.

Sakura was asleep now. She did not want to leave. Naruto was still awake even though he hadn't slept in two days. Neji was awake as well, staring out the window. They were all waiting. Naruto's optimism had deflated. He was worried now. "He's just picking up Kakashi-sensei's habits…" he muttered. But Neji knew that he was just trying to convince himself that everything was alright.

Twenty hours late.

Naruto was demanding they send out a search party. "Just because he's not back yet doesn't mean he's dead! He might be too hurt to move! We've got to find him!" he shouted. But the Hokage refused. "We can't waste any men right now, Naruto." But Naruto didn't think it was a waste. Neither did Neji. So they both left without the Hokage's consent.

Forty-nine hours late.

They searched and found nothing. They returned only when Sakura and Tenten caught up with them and demanded that they return. "Hokage-sama was _this_ close to calling you two Missing-Nin and sending a group of ANBU after you," they scolded. "You're lucky we were able to convince her otherwise." Except Neji didn't feel lucky. They found nothing. Sasuke was still missing. And he was losing hope.

Ninety-six hours late.

He heard from one of the Chunnins that Uchiha Sasuke has stumbled into Konoha and was at the hospital. He made it there in record time. Naruto was already there as was Sakura. And so was Sasuke. Bandaged, pale, and half-dead with a vase next to his bed that held a single rose. Sakura told him that he was going to be alright. Apparently he was caught by rogues and tortured for information, but he managed to escape. "Of course he did," Naruto said, with tears in his eyes, "this is Sasuke."

And it took all of Neji's self-control not to cry in relief right there.


	15. Absence

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. I wish I did, I wish I did, I wish I did... but nope, I don't.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

I... don't have anything witty to say. Review Replies are on my bio. Ummm...

Enjoy!

* * *

**Absence**

"How long are you going to be gone?"

Neji was sure that he had already answered this, but he replied anyway. "Two weeks."

"Two weeks. That's a long time."

"You've been gone for longer before." It was true. Sasuke once had a mission that lasted three months. Two weeks was nothing compared to that.

"That was different."

"How was it different?"

"I wasn't…" he trailed off.

Neji paused in his packing to look at him. "You weren't what?"

"I wasn't…" he began again.

Hyuugas were known for their patience. However, living with Sasuke had taught Neji that being patient with the Uchiha was going to get him _nowhere_.

"You weren't _what_?"

But Sasuke didn't answer. Instead, he said, "You'll come back."

It wasn't a question, but Neji answered anyway. "Yes."

"Two weeks. That's a long time."

Neji nodded this time, realizing what the problem was. "I'll come back."

Sasuke nodded as well. Then he took a breath and said, "It's not that long."

Neji shook his head with a small smile. "Not really."

_Sasuke, I'll miss you, too._


	16. Seeing

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. SO STOP CALLING MY HOUSE! JEEZ!

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis simple as that.

So, this is the second time I've written this today. This morning... for some odd reason I forgot to update. I got up on time and didn't _remember_ that I had any homework due, so I wasn't distracted by anything... and yet, I did not update. Then, just now, after writing out my whole Author's Note, the browser shut down on me and I lost it all. Today's been very fun, let me tell you!... Man, today sucked. --;;

Review replies are on my bio.

Enjoy.

* * *

******Seeing**

Sasuke growled under his breath.

That damn Hyuuga was watching… _again_. Not that he particularly minded having Hyuuga as his guard. Actually, besides Naruto who would sit with him in his house and talk with him (or more like _at_ him as he rarely ever said anything back), he preferred it when the Hyuuga was on guard duty. All of the other ANBU assigned to guarding him during his house arrest would constantly check through windows or just walk into his home without asking to make sure that he had not tried to escape.

Not that he planned to.

When the Hyuuga was on guard, however, he never entered his house or looked through his windows. Instead, he stayed a pretty good distance away and just randomly checked on him with his Byakugan. Sasuke could feel when the Hyuuga would do this so he _always_ knew when he was watching. Most of the time it did not bother him. Lately, however…

He glared in the general direction that he was sure the Hyuuga was in, and after a moment, he felt the Byakugan deactivate. With a sigh (_of relief_, he assured himself, _not disappointment._), he turned back to his book. Being on house arrest after his return from Orochimaru was dreadfully boring. There was nothing to do, and he was sure that he was going to drive himself stir crazy soon (if he was not already crazy enough as it was).

About an hour later, in the middle of making dinner, he felt the familiar surge of chakra. He stood still for a moment before slamming down the ladle he was using and storming to the nearest window. He yanked it open and, ignoring the deactivation of the Byakugan, barked into the night, "You can come in, you know!"

The moment he said it, he wondered what the hell he was thinking. There was stillness in the night. Then, he felt the movement of somebody coming towards him. And then Hyuuga was there giving him what he was sure was an inquiring look, but he could not be sure because of the bird mask covering his face.

"Why?"

Sasuke stared at him, trying to come up with a good excuse. Finally, feeling lame, he said, "I made too much for dinner tonight. I don't like to waste food. You can have some, if you want."

Again, there was that pause. Then Hyuuga gave a slight incline of his head. "Thank you."

And then it became a routine.


	17. Language

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. And... I have nothing witty to say.

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

Okay, so this is random... and this is short... and this was written in Spanish Class, which explains the random prompt. I don't really like this one, but eh, it took some brain power to come up with this, so I'm posting it anyway. Plus, people on LJ found it amusing, so here we are.

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Language**

Neji understands Sasuke.

A slight tilt of the head in his direction. _What's on your mind?_

He never has to say a word.

A narrow of his eyes. _I'm pissed off right now._

And if he does…

"Hn." _I'm listening, but you better talk fast._

He never has to say much.

"Che." _I lost, but I'm still better than you._

He says many things everyday.

A tiny frown and eyes skyward. _Why do I have to deal with this?_

The words just don't always come from his mouth.

A small twitch of the hand. _If I don't get a spar soon, I'm going to murder somebody._

But he understands.

A tug of the lips into a smirk. _Okay, now things are starting to get interesting…_

Because he's the same way.

A tightening of the jaw. _I'm not going to let you get to me._

And when it's just the two of them.

A sharp glance. _You have exactly two seconds to shut up before I kill you._

They have meaningful conversations without ever saying a word.

A smile toward the ground. _I… could get used to this._

Sasuke understands Neji.


	18. Hearing

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. Still. So don't ask.

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

So, I've figured that for the most part, the chapters are never going to be over 1,000 words. I started this series telling myself that I would never go over 500 words, but I've done that a lot already. But, I don't think I'll ever get over 1,000... That means that the chapters will never be 'long' per se, but at least I try to update every day, right? I would like to think that makes up for it...

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Hearing**

"Iloveyou."

It was low. It was muttered. It was said incredibly fast. But Sasuke expects Neji to understand what he said.

"What?"

And apparently he didn't.

Sasuke bangs forehead against the doorway in frustration. He grits his teeth, takes a deep breath, and gets ready to say it again. Except, now he's swallowing on his tongue and he can feel himself starting to sweat and he was starting to go red from embarrassment and _goddamnit!_ Why couldn't he have just heard him the first time?

Neji did hear him, though. And he was looking at the younger boy with a small smile. He was a ninja, after all. His ears were trained to catch every syllable to leave a person's mouth, no matter how low, quick, or incoherent. But his gut had clenched and his heart had flipped and he was still denying what he had heard, so he wanted to hear it again. To make sure that he had not been hearing things, no matter how unlikely that actually was.

But Sasuke's shoulders were drooping now, and he was wearing his usual annoyed scowl.

"Nothing. Never mind. It's not important," he growls.

Neji sits there for a moment as Sasuke leaves the room, his confidence deflating. Perhaps he _did_ hear wrong. But he doesn't want to believe that. So, he stands and runs after him.

"Sasuke, what did you say?" he persists. He needs to hear it.

But Sasuke won't say it again. "Nothing. Just leave me alone."

Neji could not do that, though, because he knew what he thought he heard and he had to hear it again. So, he takes a chance and pulls Sasuke into his arms and mutters right into his ear, "I love you, too."

Sasuke stiffens for a moment. Then, he's relaxing. "Bastard," he said, "you heard me the first time."

"I just wanted to hear it again," he admits.

There is a pause.

"I love you."


	19. Rain

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. Or Digimon apparently. Damn. I suck.

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

Am I the only person who has trouble doing homework at home? I will get home, take off my backpack, sit down... and do anything, except my homework. I know I should do my homework. I know I should. But I don't. Instead, I get on the computer, or I read, or I play video games... and it kind of frustrates me because I do want to do good in school, and I do want to try... I just don't.

Sigh. Whatever.

Review replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Rain**

It's raining. Neji always loved the rain. But Sasuke doesn't think that. He closes his curtains to block out the sight. The _pitter-patter_ against the window echoes through the complex. He loved listening to it, too. Sasuke growls angrily and turns on some music.

It's something heavy with lots of bass. Neji hated that kind of music. Sasuke changes it to something softer and slower. Neji never listened to that kind of music, but he didn't hate it. Neutral. Good. Except he's sitting on the blue couch that Sasuke would often find Neji asleep on with a scroll spread across his chest, forgotten in his sleep.

He stands up roughly and instead takes a seat at the kitchen table. The table where they would share meals and kiss good morning and say goodbye to each other. He angrily stomps off to his bedroom. But that's the worse, because that was where their first was.

Their first kiss. Their first time making love. Their first "I love you". Their first…

And Sasuke is slamming the door behind him as he leaves. He's a damn mess and he can't breathe.

Then he's leaving the Uchiha house and he's running through the rain. He's getting soaked to the bone, but that's alright. Because it's chilling him all over and it's no less than what he deserves. He runs until he can't move. Until he can't think.

And he's pissed. And he curses the rain. And he curses the rhythmic sound. And he curses the heavy metal music. And he curses the blue couch. And he curses his kitchen table. And he curses his bedroom. And he curses _fucking Hyuuga Neji_ who then curses him back.

Then he realizes he's not alone. Because Neji is standing there, staring at him. Except he's a lot smarter than Sasuke, because he actually has an umbrella to protect him from the rain. Then Sasuke is cursing him and damning him and spitting out that he hopes he _burns in hell!_

But Neji isn't listening. He's walking toward him. Then he's standing next to him, and suddenly Sasuke isn't being pelted by the rain anymore. But he's still shivering and cursing and shouting and… And Neji is removing his coat and then placing it over Sasuke's shoulders. Then he's kissing him and holding him and telling him, "It's alright, Sasuke. I forgive you."

And _that's_ when Sasuke starts apologizing and calling himself an idiot and mumbling about stuff that is barely coherent, but Neji is just laughing because he's already told him that he's forgiven him. And everything's alright. And that's all that really matters.


	20. Innocent

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Woo.

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis simple as that.

WARNING: There is a mention of RAPE in this chapter. It's just a mention, but some people are offended by this, so I'm just warning you all.

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Innocent**

He's had a nightmare, so he's crawling into his brother's bed. His brother is awake and smiling sympathetically at him. He's not angry that he disturbed his sleep. In fact, he's lifting the covers up so that Sasuke can climb under and get more comfortable. Itachi watches out for his brother. He cares for his brother.

He doesn't kill his brother.

He's woken from a nightmare, so he's gulping the air and trying to get the much needed oxygen into his lungs. He can't go back to sleep, so he kicks the covers off and paces around the house. It's empty and lonely. So lonely, Sasuke thinks, and he remembers his nightmare. A memory, more like, of death, blood, and blood red sharingan eyes.

He tries to hide the tears that fall.

He is a nightmare, so he laughs cruelly and soaks in the power that he can feel flowing through his veins. It's more than he could have ever imagined. There's only one thing left to get; one thing left to obtain. Sasuke has to kill his best friend in order to obtain it. He gets into a battle stance and charges without hesitation.

He can't do it in the end.

He's living a nightmare, so he's squeezing his eyes shut trying to block out what his senses are inevitably taking in. The touching of skin on skin and cruel laughter overhead breaks through his barrier. Sasuke bites his lip to blood and forces himself not to resist. This is for power. This is the only way to get the revenge he so desires.

He contemplates killing himself.

He's having a nightmare, so he's fighting old demons and struggling against memories. Somebody is shaking him awake and he fights them too. Everybody is an enemy and he struggles, until he realizes that somebody is holding him gently and whispering for him to come back. He awakes and clings to the person.

He finds comfort in Neji.


	21. Memories

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. I own Neji's angst. Yes, all of Neji's angst is MINE. MUAHAHAHAHA!

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

It's the weekend! HALLELUJAH! Am I the only one super-duperly happy about this? I have been waiting for this day all freaking week! I love the weekend! You can just sit around do nothing. And nobody can shout at you for it. It's great. Gosh, I just _looooooooove_ the weekend.

OH! And every single one of you should go read "The Best Mistakes" by Mercury Chaos. It is a RP piece in story format between her and her co-writer, Mujaki no Tsubasa. If MPreg squicks you, you should still read up to the beginning of chapter four anyway, because it started out as a short story and evolved from there. So, it's still really good. I came up with the title. Yes, me. Aren't I cool? And later on in the story--the chapters are not up yet--I also helped write as Hinata and Lee. (The Hinata chapter that is up right now is not me, she was written by Mujaki as well.)

So, go read it. Oh, and Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Memories**

He had come home early from the mission. He had been tired and worn out but proud that he and his team had been able to complete the mission three hours ahead of time. Even the Hokage had been surprised, and impressing that old woman was hard to do.

He had heard the sounds of voices before actually hearing the words. They were shouting at each other. One sounded confused, wailing and screeching and whining about like crazy. The other one sounded pissed off and frustrated, growls and curses coming in the same baritone. He recognized both of them before he even saw them: Naruto and Sasuke.

Making his way to the kitchen, he paused mid-step when he heard a loud _POP!_ and silence.

He stepped into the kitchen and stared.

Naruto was standing with his jaw slack as he held a packet of flour that had the top blown out. He was lightly dusted in flour, but it was nothing compared to Sasuke who was standing in front of him and had apparently taken the blunt of the exploding flour.

He was standing there, looking livid and murderous, covered from head to foot in powder. There was almost a perfect ring of flour on the floor at his feet as well, and every time his eyebrow or hand twitched, more dust fell off of him in sheets.

Naruto was the first to notice him. He turned to look at him and then grinned. "Hey, Neji! Sasuke-teme was helping me make Hinata-chan a cake for her birthday. Wanna help?"

His announcement of his presence caused Sasuke to spin around to look at him, leaving a flour-like image of what his posture had been a moment earlier before it, too, fell to the ground. Then, for one long moment, they stared at each other. Neji half expected Sasuke's annoyance to grow with his appearance. After all, he was three hours early and had just walked in on probably not exactly the most dignifying of moments. But, instead…

There were white flecks of powder sticking to his eyelashes surrounding his creased eyes. Flour decorated his forehead and was lightly sprinkled across his cheeks and chin. On his lips, slightly moistened and therefore darkened, was more flour that was flaking off. It was caught all in his bangs, clinging like snow to a tree, and it decorated the top of his head where his spikes stood haphazardly. All down the front of his shirt, the flour was caked, making the black cotton almost not distinguishable beneath it all. His shorts were the same, caked and layered, and his knees held an ashen look from the powdery substance. His feet were practically buried under all of the flour, with just the top cuffs of the sandals visible.

And he was _smiling_.

He was smiling because he was happy to see him, happy that was he was home. And Neji could not help but smile back. The moment probably only lasted three seconds at the most, but it seemed like much longer that they stood there smiling at each other, happy to see each other again after what seemed like so long, but too proud to show it through an undignified scream and hug. Maybe when they were alone, they would hug and kiss, and _maybe_ tell each other how much they missed the other. But with Naruto there, they just smiled.

Then, Sasuke remembered that Naruto _was_ there and his smile turned to a glower, and he turned his glare onto the blond.

"Ah… it was… an accident?" Naruto said, laughing nervously.

And the moment was broken.

_CLANG… Clang… clang… _

Neji snapped awake. He cursed himself for dozing off—even if it had been only for five minutes at the most considering the positions of the people below—and marked down the changing of guards as the one that had been there for the past five hours disappeared beyond the gate. A moment later, the familiar _CLANG_ was heard as the gate opened again and the replacement guard took his post, letting the gate bounce against its hinges.

He'd been at this for almost five days now. All together, he'd been gone from home for at least three weeks. It was no surprise that he had dozed off considering that he had not slept in fifty-two hours, but he knew he could not afford to do that again. So, popping a soldier pill in his mouth and resituating himself on the tree branch, he told himself to stay focused.

He couldn't think about Sasuke right now.

He'd save that for when he could actually see him in person. And maybe, just maybe, he'd throw all dignity aside this time.


	22. Movies

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Or anything else related to it. I'm just one measly little fan who likes to wish upon a star.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

So, I've been having some serious issues uploading documents lately. It just won't let me at times. And it is the most frustrating thing in the world... and I just want to murder sometimes, because of it. I mean, I have to resubmit one document up to twenty times before it will take! And sometimes I'm in a hurry and can't waste that much time trying to get ONE document up. Gah. It's annoying.

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Movies**

Neji had never been to the cinema as a kid. It was considered "useless", a luxury not needed in the Hyuuga family. When he had gotten older, however, he heard about it from the other ninja. Stories telling of how great it was, and how even he—stoic and not much for entertainment—would love it.

Hinata-sama had been enchanted by the theatre the first time Naruto took her there. It had been her third date with him, and Neji remembered her returning with this dreamy smile on her face and her eyes shining. It had looked like she had the time of her life, and whenever he would ask her about it, she would blush and say that it had been a really sweet story.

Lee had called it a "youthful experience filled with flaming passion!" He had taken Sakura there for their fifth date and had done nothing but rave about the movie they saw for several days afterward. It had been about some kingdom and a ninja that had to infiltrate it to kill the princess, but he had ended up falling in love instead… Neji thought it sounded rather over the top, but Lee assured him otherwise.

So, when he took Tenten out on a date, taking her to the cinema seemed like a logical option. Except he ended up not enjoying the experience very much. The "flaming passion" part of Lee's speech had suddenly made sense to him as he spent the better part of the movie lip locked with the brunette. That was not a bad thing, exactly, but he could think up _a lot_ of things to do instead of making out in a theatre for over an hour.

Suffice to say, he did not remember what the movie was about.

When he started seeing Sasuke, though, they were limited on places they could go on 'dates'. Going out anywhere together was risky when their relationship was still private, but neither of them were particularly fond of the idea of staying in all the time. And when Sasuke offhandedly mentioned that they should see a movie together, Neji had not really been thrilled at the idea but had agreed nonetheless. After all, he could see the logic. The theatre was dark and nobody would know they were together if they arrived at different times.

It was… different that time around. Sasuke was nothing like Tenten. He did not even attempt to hold his hand during the movie; instead, his eyes were solely focused on the screen the whole time. The movie was completely different as well. There was no heavily sugary orchestral music; instead, the music was fast paced and upbeat in a dangerous way. Every fight scene was accompanied by Sasuke muttering, "This is so fake", but Neji could tell that he was enjoying it nonetheless because of the present half-smirk and the way his eyes never left the actors' faces.

When it was over and Neji was walking him back to his apartment, Sasuke asked him how he liked the movie. It was then that Neji realized that he could not remember a single thing that happened in the movie, but he remembered every expression that Sasuke made.

"You're supposed to watch the screen," the younger boy muttered, silently laughing at him. Apparently, he had known the whole time where his eyes were focused.

Neji blushed and said, "But the show I got was better."


	23. Content

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto... and I've got nothing.

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

Ummm... hi? -hides behind a rock to dodge rotten fruit that will no doubt be thrown at her by the end of this chapter- Er... if you're a huge TENTEN FAN, you might not want to read this. It kind of, sort of, not really but I don't want to end up with a concussion, bashes her. Why did I pick on Tenten of all people?

Well... I came on one day, went to the Naruto Just In page, and there was nothing, I swear, _nothing_ but NejiTen stories all down the front page. And all of them were either AU, had OOC warnings, or stated in the summary that something tragic and sudden happened to Tenten and "will Neji finally realize his feelings for her?" So, yeah, I wrote this. Heh...

Don't kill me. Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy! (Maybe...?)

* * *

**Content**

Tenten was happy for them. Really she was. She was happy for _all_ of them.

Sweet and shy Hinata deserved Naruto. She was really happy when they got together. She had smiled with the rest of the kunoichi and said that it was about _damn time!_ She also was not alone in the surprise that Hinata was the first of the female ninja to hook up with one of the males, but they all decided that they should have expected it.

Honest and caring Lee deserved his beloved Sakura. She was really happy for her teammate when he finally snatched the pink haired ninja's heart. They were sickeningly sweet with each other, but it did not matter, because she could tell that they were happy. And she was happy for them.

Lazy Shikamaru deserved hotheaded and spunky ninja of the sand Temari. There really was no other girl around that could get the tactician to actually do anything that was not an order. And there was no other guy around that could get the always pumped up sand-nin to just calm down and take a breather every once in a while. They were a perfect match.

Beautiful and talented Ino deserved tall, dark, and silent Shino. She could not have Sasuke—nobody could, they thought—and Neji was 'off limits'. Therefore, the only tall, dark, and silent ninja left in Konoha had been the bug-user. It took her a while to come around to the idea, but eventually she latched onto him and he never once complained about her presence.

Even loyal Kiba deserved the redheaded seamstress from the ninja clothing shop, and friendly Chouji deserved the bubbly blonde waitress from the sushi shop.

They all deserved each other, she could not deny that.

But then _they_ got together. Sasuke and Neji. Two males. And when they told everybody in their group about it, both of them wearing that identical glare that just _dared_ anybody to object to it, nobody cared. _Nobody_. Most of them either just did not care what those two did or cared too much about one of them to just be glad that they had finally found happiness. So, Tenten said nothing. Because nobody cared, so she shouldn't either.

Except she did. Because she remembered all of those girl get-togethers where they would talk and dream and tell tales about the future. In them, either Ino or Sakura were always married to Sasuke. Hinata was always married to Naruto. And Tenten, without a doubt in any of their minds, was always married to Neji. They always talked about how the most likely of their dreams to come true had been Tenten's. And with those dreams, they had all put a silent 'off limits' sign over Neji's head and none of them ever pursued him.

Because he was Tenten's. Or he was supposed to be.

Instead, he was sitting much too close to the Uchiha with his hand hidden beneath the table where it was no doubt clasped in the other boy's. They were talking quietly to each other, and every once in a while they would touch each other's face or chest—such a simple gesture—before realizing they were in public and pulling away with slightly tinted cheeks. But they never leaned away from each other, and instead basked in the other's presence.

"They look so happy, don't they?" Sakura suddenly asked her, having followed her gaze.

Happy was not the right word, Tenten thought. They looked… content. But she nodded anyway.

"Yeah, they do." _But it should have been mine_.


	24. Different

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. If I did... half the stuff would not be done. I'm too darn lazy for that.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

Okay, so I've realized that my NejiSasu collection is pretty nifty, all things considering. So, I decided to share some of it with you all almost every chapter. Sound good? Good. So far, we have "The Best Mistakes" by Mercury Chaos on our list; if you haven't checked it out yet, you should. Today, I will add "Bird in a Cage" by Sharingan Sasuke. It is LIME. If you do not like LIME, do not read and wait for a later update in which I recommend a NejiSasu that is not Rated M.

Also, while on the subject, WARNING: This chapter contains FOREPLAY. I think. Maybe? I don't know... basically, Neji and Sasuke are getting ready to have SEX. If you do not like things like that, you might want to avert your eyes. In all actuality, the only thing that is present is kissing and undressing, but because you definitely know where it is going, I have to warn you. This is also a Two-Part drabble! Next chapter will see the conclusion of this little piece (no, I don't mean as in that we'll see the actual sex, gosh).

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Different**

"We should tell people," breathed Neji.

Sasuke stopped his assault on the white-eyed Jounin's neck to stare at him. "Why?"

Neji looked at him. "Because I want people to know."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he muttered, running his hands down the bareback of the older ninja and snaked his thumbs into the waist of his pants.

He grabbed Sasuke's wrists and looked him in the eyes. "We should."

"We shouldn't," said the black-haired male, immediately. He pulled his wrists from Neji's grasp and used his free hands to remove the older boy's pants. This time, there was no attempt to stop him.

"Why not?" Neji gasped, shivering against the sudden chill.

"It'll—" a hot searing kiss "—complicate things."

Sasuke lost his own pants next, thanks to Neji's help. "How will it complicate things?"

"People will act different," he said, and the Hyuuga found himself being pushed up against the wall. "We'll have to act different."

"We don't act different enough alread—?"

Three fingers were suddenly shoved into his mouth, effectively shutting him up. He obediently snaked his tongue around each finger, lubricating each one carefully, while softly glaring at the Uchiha behind half-closed lids.

"Let's just… wait a while, okay?" Sasuke finally said, his eyes refusing to meet the questioning ones that were trying to search his face.

Neji sighed as the moistened fingers left his mouth. "Okay, Sasuke, whatever you want." Then his mouth was being assaulted by lips, teeth, and tongue, and Sasuke's thumb was traveling teasingly down his spine, slowly itching toward its destination.


	25. Surprise

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Because if I did, that would be _slavery_ and that would be _bad_.

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

Today's story of the day is...! Not a story. It's an author. Everybody should go check out 'Frontier of Darkness' and all of her stories. But for just the NejiSasu goodness, check out "Revival of the Uchiha", "A Gesture of Kindness", and "The Quest of the Green Beast". Actually, none of these even have kissing in them, but they all have lovely NejiSasu hints and therefore are suitable for all ages. And, actually, the last one has absolutely NO NejiSasu hints... (yet). It's just a really funny story that everybody should read--and bug her about finishing. Yeah.

Here is Part 2 of "Different".

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Surprise**

Sasuke was walking down the paved streets of Konoha studying a scroll one moment, and then the next moment he found himself being whipped into an alley and being slammed up against the wall. The next second, he was being pushed up against the wall with a hot and fierce mouth pressing roughly against his own.

He did not even hesitate to respond; after all, only one person in the whole village would ever have the guts to try such a stunt. But as a little punishment (his scroll was no longer in his hand, and who knew where it could be?), he bit Neji's bottom lip a little harder than necessary.

The longhaired ninja finally pulled back.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, eyebrows raised and lips bruised.

"I have to leave in thirty minutes on a mission."

"Thirty minutes?" he repeated. "What the hell? Why so soon?"

"It was a last minute request, A-Class; the Hokage couldn't turn it down. She wanted me to leave immediately after finding you; she has a mission for you as well, said it should only take me five minutes at the most. I was able to convince her that you're a very hard person to track down," he said.

A smirk found its way onto his face. "Yeah? And how long do you have before you have to leave?"

"Twenty-eight minutes," Neji replied, with a small smile.

Sasuke did not respond and instead just pulled him forcefully against him. They kissed hot and heavy, with hands roaming under clothing and across bare skin.

"Maybe we should… continue this… at your apartment…" Neji breathed into the other boy's mouth.

"Mmm… maybe—"

"OH MY GOD!"

They broke apart, startled. There stood Yamanaka Ino, eyes about to pop out of her head, and a box of wilted flowers dropped and forgotten at her feet.

"WHAT THE HELL?" she shrieked.

Neji said nothing. Sasuke said nothing. Everybody stared.

"OH MY GOD!"

Then she was gone.

Silence.

"Well," Sasuke said, suddenly, in a very low and slightly ironical voice, "now we don't have to worry about telling _anybody_. She'll do it for us."

Neji just looked at him.


	26. Death

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Thank God. Because, otherwise, we would never know the ending.

** Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

Okay. First of all, I AM SO SORRY. I did not mean to make you all wait so long for an update. This was not the plan at all. But, apparently, my teachers love torturing us with work right before the Labor Day Holiday, so I was swamped, and it's only the first six weeks! I can only imagine how much worse it's going to get... but I AM sorry. Here is the next drabble in the series. Again, sorry.

For my absence, I have decided to write each person, if they so wish it, their own special drabble. Just tell me the word to base it off of and any other details you would like incorporated in it. I will then post it up and let everybody know that this is YOUR drabble. Sound good? I hope so...

Again, I am so sorry for my absence. Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Death**

Sasuke had almost killed him once. It had been after he had left Orochimaru but had still refused to join back with Konoha.

All ANBU had been given the same order. "If, during your mission, you are to come across Uchiha Sasuke, you are to apprehend him immediately and bring him back to Konoha."

So, when he'd spotted Sasuke with his Byakugan in the middle of a solo mission, he's aimed to knock him out. After all, why deal with a conscious Sasuke who would probably resist when he could just drag the Uchiha's ass all the way back to Konoha? He had appeared to be asleep (in fact, Neji was positive that he was), but right before his strike was about to hit, Sasuke leapt out of the way, threw a kunai, and got into a battle stance.

It had happened so fast, that Neji barely dodged the knife before he had to avoid a strike to the side of the head. And Sasuke _had_ been asleep, Neji saw, because his eyes were still slightly unfocused and blinking rapidly and they tried to adjust to their surroundings, which meant that he was mostly acting on instinct while his mind tried to catch up. It was amazing. It even surpassed Rock Lee, who was notorious for reacting before his mind could even process what was happening.

It definitely surpassed Neji's instincts and reactions. And with the Sharingan activated, Sasuke barely needed three minutes before had had memorized all of Neji's moves and could counter each one with little difficulty. The Hyuuga had been warned of Sasuke's skills from passing shinobi and others who had lost to him, but having been superior to everybody who mentioned him, he never took their warnings seriously. Until now.

He lost, horribly. To his credit, the Uchiha had a hard time walking away from the scene with most of his chakra sealed up and some of his internal organs having trouble working properly, but in the end, it did not compare. A laceration to the back of the head, a concussion, three cracked ribs, twelve broken bones, a crushed right hand, and a sliced artery in his right leg. It was that last injury that nearly cost him his life. He would have bled to death from it had their battle not attracted the attention of a Genin team on a C-Rank mission.

What made him so pissed off about the whole battle, though, was the fact that Sasuke had left him alive, and he did not know _why_. He had left him to bleed to death, true, but Neji knew that he must have sensed the Genin team approaching them. So, why not finish the deed and be done with it? Why leave him there to be found and saved? It just did not make sense.

The next time Neji saw Sasuke was when the Uchiha was returning to Konoha of his own free will. He had with him the head of Uchiha Itachi and Orochimaru. It was almost as though it was evidence that he had been redeemed. Everybody gathered in the Hokage's office to see the 'trial' of Uchiha Sasuke. Everybody wanted to know what was going to happen to him.

Right before the main even was going to start, however, Sasuke said, in a low voice, "May I say something first?"

Tsunade stared for a moment before nodding. Then, much to everybody's surprise, Sasuke turned to Neji. "I'm sorry."

He was bowed lowly in an obvious sign of submission, and all Neji could do was stare. He did not know how to react. An Uchiha bowing to _anybody_ was unheard of, and everybody was staring because of it. It was a sight nobody had ever seen or would ever see again, probably. Then they were staring at Neji, gauging his reaction, except he was not reacting. There was no emotion on his face or anything to give hint as to what he was thinking, because he was not thinking a thing.

His mind had gone blank.

Finally, instinct took over, and he managed a short, crisp, "You have been forgiven."

Sasuke gave a short jerk of his head that _might_ have been a nod before turning back to the Hokage, effectively ignoring him for the duration of the period. And the whole time Neji stood there, lost in his own thoughts and therefore not paying a bit of attention to what he had come to see, wondering _why_ the hell Sasuke would act like that. And it pissed him off.

Hyuuga Neji did not like not knowing things.

Then, almost a year later, he found himself falling to sleep with the Uchiha in his arms, and he realized something. He would never know the answers to any of his questions, because this was an Uchiha he was talking about. And who the hell could ever understand _them_?

And Neji found that he did not really care anymore.


	27. Comfort

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. I'm too lazy to deal with that.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

-deadpan- I'm tired. I'm sorry it's late. But here it is. Not much to say. "Fortune" has been added to my list. Get your requests in while you can. -yawn- Oh. And before I forget (like I did yesterday), check out "Not Like Before" by Persepolis130. It has LIME, so beware.

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Comfort**

It was an aftereffect of Orochimaru's experiments. His immune system had dropped considerably and Sasuke found himself sick all the time. But being the proud asshole that he was, he would never take himself to the hospital to be checked up on. Never. Even though he knew that a simple cold at this point could kill him. Tsunade said that his immune system would build itself back up on its own, but he had to start taking care of himself first.

But he wasn't.

So, Neji was told to check up on the Uchiha regularly to make sure that he had not killed himself yet.

Sasuke hated it. He hated it with a fiery passion. Whenever the Hyuuga would drop in, everyday at noon, he would try his hardest to land _him_ in the hospital so that he would leave him the fuck alone! Except, the Hyuuga was always expecting it and always easily dodged it. He would do a look over with his Byakugan (all the while, ignoring Sasuke's curses toward him), and if he found any irregularity, he would contact Sakura or Hinata or even Tsunade to come check it out.

Then, one day, Neji mentioned offhandedly that he would be on a three day mission and therefore would not be able to check on him during that time. "You better take care of yourself, Uchiha," he said, in a hard voice, "if I come back to find you dead, you'll regret it."

"Fuck you, Hyuuga," he spat back out.

Then he was gone.

True to his word, Neji did not show up the next day when he got a headache around dinner time. Or the next day after that when he realized after lunch that his vision was blurred and that he couldn't walk in a straight line anymore. Or the two days later when Sasuke woke up choking on his own vomit before awkwardly turning over to empty his stomach next to his futon.

He knew by this time that he should go see Tsunade or Sakura, but he couldn't. He could barely stand up straight, let alone make it to one of them, and he knew by this time that he was in trouble. It was a problem. A big one.

Then his stomach jerked again, and instead of just throwing up on his floor, he tried to stumble to the bathroom. Clumsily, he made it just before he puked anything and everything he had ever eaten into the toilet. He was shaking now. His body would not listen to him. And he was sweating all over with his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Picking himself off the floor, he slinked out of the bathroom slowly and carefully began to make his way back to his futon. All he had to do was wait for that damn Hyuuga to return and then—

Then his vision grayed, his foot caught on something, and he found himself falling. His head banged against something before he smashed into the ground. It had been the end table, and his forehead had caught the edge of it. Now, there was blood, and his vision was swimming again, and he could not see a damn thing straight.

He turned over to lay on his back and stare at the ceiling. Just white. Plain white. Like Neji's eyes… All he had to do was wait for Hyuuga to show up. He would not die here. He would not die like _this_…

Except, time was ticking by and noon came and went and Neji still had not shown up.

_Three day mission,_ Sasuke repeated in his mind. _A mission that lasts three days. Not a mission that ends on the third day._

He _was_ going to die here then, he realized with a bitter laugh. _Of all the damn ways to die…_

And still, the time ticked on. He passed out at some point, and when he next opened his eyes, it was dark out. He was still lying on the floor… but he still could not bring the strength forth to move. It was worse now. His head was splitting and his stomach clenched and twisted in on itself over and over again. Sasuke found himself dry gagging, bringing nothing up but vomit-flavored saliva, which he just spat out into a gruesome puddle by his head.

It was nearing midnight, and then he heard the soft sound of feet walking toward him. He must have been hallucinating, though, because nobody visited him anymore. Nobody. Except…

"What have you done to yourself this time, Sasuke?" came a soft voice over his head.

Strong arms were working themselves under him and he was being lifted off of the ground. Then he was staring into bright white eyes. He stared into them for what felt like hours; even when they entered white halls and white rooms, Sasuke never let his gaze leave Neji's eyes.

He was being settled into a bed next, and people were surrounding him, but he still kept Neji's gaze. He could not let him go. And he didn't. It took him a moment after it was just the two of them to realize that he had an iron grip on Neji's yukata. It was because of that the Hyuuga had yet to leave, he realized. He did not let go, though. Instead, he held on tighter, worried that Neji would ask him to let go.

So, he spoke first.

"'Sorry," he choked out, but his voice was scratchy and sounded unused.

Neji just shook his head. "It's alright. You weren't dead." Then he was pulling up a nearby chair to the bedside and settling in as though he expected to stay awhile. Even so, Sasuke did not let go. And he didn't all through the night.


	28. Sadistic

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Get over it.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

Actually, this chapter has absolutely nothing worth cringing at. At all. There is _nothing_ at all slashy about this chapter. Not even if you squint while standing on your head. Nothing. Why? Well, originally this was the beginning of a one shot that I was going to write that was eventually going to have some lemon in it. However, when I found it three weeks after I started it, I realized that I was never going to finish it, so it ended up in here. Heh.

While I'm rambling here, let me take a moment to tell everybody to go read "The Boys of Summer" by shamaim. It's really cute and makes me laugh. The only thing off about this one, though, is that there is some NaruGaa. It's only rated T, so should be safe for most of all of you if you are reading this story which has the same rating. So, go read it.

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Sadistic**

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. This had to be the most annoying and boring assignment ever given to him. He was very tempted to dropping the whole thing and leaving. Some old guy was lecturing at the front of the room with twenty some odd pupils listening to him and taking notes. Directly in front of him sat his assignment: Lyou Taijiro.

The kid was loud and annoying like a certain blond friend of his, but he was also arrogant without anything to back it up. At least when Naruto boasted about his strength, Sasuke knew he was not lying. This seventeen-year-old would babble about all of the stuff he could do and then sidestep the issue when asked to prove it. He was a complete fraud, and yet he was supposed to protect him.

Taijiro also happened to be the feudal lord of the Honoo Village. A week ago, apparently, he had been attacked by Cloud Ninja and had, by sheer luck, managed to get away. The attack was not that much of a surprise as many had been expecting somebody to oppose such a young lord, but the fact that they were ninja was what had thrown everybody off.

However, Neji and Sasuke had been here for five days and so far nothing had happened. It was boring and even if the lord _did_ hire the best, Sasuke was ready to just walk away.

Beside him, Neji sat with a blank look on his face and his eyes closed. He was meditating, Sasuke realized, which meant that he, too, was starting to blow off this assignment. The fact that the Hyuuga was also losing patience with this just gave Sasuke all the more reason to be annoyed.

He leaned forward in his chair and rested his head on his intertwined hands and fought a yawn. The other students in the class kept giving the two ninja suspicious, awed, and skeptical looks. It was really starting to piss him off even more. Apparently they were learning the history of the Fire Country, but Sasuke had learned all of it (and then some) by the time he was nine years old.

Forty five minutes later, the instructor finally dismissed the class. Taijiro made to stand, but Sasuke reached forward and easily forced him back into his seat.

"What are you—"

"Listen." Sasuke snapped, cutting the brat off. "We're supposed to protect you. It'll be just that much harder if we're caught in a crowd. We're going to wait until everybody leaves before heading out." His voice was dangerous and low, but the idiot did not seem to hear the warning.

"But I wanted to—" he faltered slightly, and Sasuke's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. _But I wanted to show you guys off to the other students so that I could get more attention and become popular!_ Neji shifted slightly to his left, and he knew that he had come up with the same conclusion. "—catch up with my friends," he finished, lamely.

"Che," Sasuke muttered. "You don't have any friends."

"What did you say? I do too!" But Sasuke was right, and the pink-tinge on Taijiro's face meant he knew it too. "I do! Say that again, and I'll kick your ass!"

_He's **definitely** like Naruto_, Sasuke thought, half amused and half annoyed. He stood, ready to show the brat just who would be kicking whose ass, when he felt a hand on his arm. He glared at Neji who had a hint of a smile on his face.

"Sasuke, cool it. We're supposed to be protecting Lyou here, not breaking his arms and legs—"

"What? Neither of you could touch me!"

"—no matter how satisfying it may be."

He shot him a venomous look that sent Taijiro cowering. Sasuke, impressed by what a single look from the Hyuuga could do, turned his own death glare on the boy, making him sink as far as possible into his seat. A kunai flew through the air and landed between his legs drawing a very girly scream from him.

"Oh, and don't insult me again if you want to live," Neji said, calmly, his hand still poised from throwing the kunai.

Sasuke smirked at the terrified teen and leaned over to retrieve the kunai. Yanking it from the wood, he made sure to knick the side of his nose. "Same for me," he hissed as a small blood droplet formed and dribbled down the side of Taijiro's face.

Then he heard the satisfying sound of liquid splashing against the ground. He handed the kunai back to Neji, both of them sharing identical looks of amusement. They were sadistic bastards, and they both knew it.

"Guess it's a good thing we waited for everyone to leave, huh?" Neji murmured, replacing the kunai back in his pouch. Sasuke held back a cruel laugh.

And Taijiro sat terrified and wet, having pissed himself out of fear.


	29. Hand

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. If I did, all of my characters would be tortured all the freaking time.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

Everybody should go to read "A Romance of Errors" by Julian Amici. It's really cute. There's only kissing. And, well, it just amuses me and somebody else mentioned something about mistaken identity in one of my reviews... so you'll probably see something like that eventually. Hehe.

WARNING: This chapter as BLOOD. Tons and tons of BLOOD. It is also complete and utter ANGST. Bring your tissue boxes and angst gear and read. Oh, and because I did leave the end of this drabble at such a point where you do not actually know what happened, I'll tell you this: When I first started writing this drabble, the whole way through, I imagined the bad ending. In the end, though, I couldn't write it.

Review Replies are on my bio!

Enjoy!

* * *

**Hand**

There was blood. _Oh God._ So much blood. _Oh God, oh God_. It had never looked so horrifying before. _Stop._ Never had the red liquid looked so foreboding. _Please stop_. And it just kept coming. _Oh God, just stop_.

Sasuke was using all of the white gauze that he had stocked in his kit. Every bit of it. And still, the blood just kept coming. Seeping through the cloth, pooling between his fingers. And he was shaking. His body just kept erupting in random tremors. Blood was not supposed to cause him to shake like some frightened child. He was not a frightened child, _goddamnit_, but why the hell would it not stop bleeding.

Then a weak hand was grasping his own, a hand from the broken body below him. And even though his hand was stained with red, he intertwined his own fingers with Neji's. Because damn it all if he was going to let him go without a fight, but—_oh God_—there was so much blood.

Then Shikamaru was landing beside him from apparently nowhere and asking what happened. But he didn't answer, because he didn't know. He had not been watching like he was supposed to. He had turned his back. And then Neji had turned out like this, because of him.

Then Naruto was joining them, turning pale almost immediately upon seeing the sight. And then Sasuke was asking where the _fuck_ was Sakura? But Naruto didn't know and just shouted a feeble, "She's coming!" except he could tell that Naruto was just guessing. He didn't know. And Neji's grip on his own hand was growing weaker by the minute, and—_fuck_—it couldn't end like this.

Lee showed up next, kneeling by his teammates head and asking if he could hear him. And then Sasuke's shouting at him to shut the hell up. Neji didn't need to be talking, he said, so don't try to make him. And then Lee was looking guilty, and Sasuke was feeling guilty, but he pushed it aside. He would apologize later, when everything was alright again.

The slight pressure on his hand turned his attention back up to Neji's face, which was paler than usual and losing color rapidly. Then he was telling him not to cry, and Sasuke was confused for a moment before he realized that his cheeks were wet and his vision had grown blurry. But goddamn the Hyuuga for pointing it out to him, because now he couldn't stop and it just kept coming. Just like the blood—_please stop_.

Then there was coughing and blood was splashing up around his mouth and—_oh God, he's going to drown in his own blood—_where the hell was Sakura? And Neji was turning his head to the side to cough out the blood was pooling in the back of his throat, and Sasuke found that he didn't know what to do, and—_fuck, why won't it stop coming?_—where the hell was Sakura? Why wasn't she there yet? And why wouldn't it stop coming? And why was there so much blood?

Neji squeezed his hand again, and he said, looking him dead in the eye, "Sasuke… I lo—" except Sasuke cut him off and told him to _shut the hell up_ and save his damn strength! But really, the last thing he wanted to hear was that word from him, not because he never wanted to hear it—because, _damnit_, they never even got to exchange that stupid word—but because he didn't, he couldn't hear it hear. Not now. Not with all of the blood there.

Not like this.

It couldn't end like this.

And then his hand was being pried away from the wound and the others were removing the gauze that he had placed there earlier, now stained completely with red. Like his hands. And his pants. And the bottom part of his shirt. And he was covered in it. Covered in Neji's blood.

He was gripping Neji's hand a lot harder than necessary, but he did not seem to mind, too focused on breathing, too focused on surviving—_oh God, you better live_—and so Sasuke just gripped tighter. Then fresh gauze was being placed over the wound, quickly getting soaked in blood as well. White to red in seconds, and still, they tried. Tried to stop the bleeding. _Please stop_. It would not stop.

Neji's hold on his hand started to slack and Sasuke began to panic. It couldn't end like this. And Lee must have seen it too, because he started panicking as well, grabbing Neji's other hand, and praying or muttering into it, as though that would help. Naruto was paler than Sasuke had ever seen him, and Shikamaru looked like he was about to be sick. And all the while, Neji's white eyes were fighting to stay open, fighting to stay awake, but he was losing. Sasuke knew it. They all knew it.

_Oh god, it can't end like this_.

Then Sakura was there, pushing everybody out of the way, everybody except Sasuke who refused to let go of Neji's hand, and the bloodied gauze was removed. Her hands glowed green as chakra was poured into his abdomen, and Sasuke sat, mesmerized. She was here. She was going to heal him. It was not going to end like this. It was going to be okay.

And as Sakura continued to work, Sasuke was certain that he felt Neji's hand tighten its grip just a little.


	30. Hair

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Haven't you figured that out already?

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

This is silly! Because when I posted the angst drabble at my LJ, my two fellow RPers who play Sasuke and Neji, who consequently are together in the RP, were kind of upset. Well, Sasuke more-so than Neji. Neji was just like, "I'm not going to die!" while Sasuke was freaking out. It was funny in a way, but it still kind of made me feel guilty. So, I wrote this, based off of Neji's--her profile name here is Mercury Chaos, I reccomended her story earlier (and the co-writer is Sasuke, actually)--little NejiSasu comic. This idea is not mine! I STOLE IT! -grins- She liked it, though.

Everybody should go read "Sayonara" by Bitenshi, because it is a good story. Very good story. So, go read it!

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Hair**

Sasuke loved Neji's hair. It was something that he would never admit aloud, but it was still an untold truth that he would never let anybody mess with. His favorite moments were when they would just lie there or sit together, and Sasuke's fingers would find their way to Neji's hair. It happened every time. They would pull through the long thick tresses, savoring the feeling of the silky strands that he had come to love. He treasured those moments.

So, it was only natural that he would freak out.

"What the hell do you mean that you're cutting your hair?"

Neji looked up, startled, from his meal. It was obvious from his expression that he had not expected this sort of reaction. "I said that I was just _thinking_ about it; not that I would."

"You better not cut it." He was growling and glaring.

And Neji was looking at him as though he had just lost his mind. "Why are you so adamant about me not cutting it?"

"Why are you even considering it?" Sasuke snapped back.

White eyes blinked at him. Slowly, Neji set down his chopsticks on the side of his bowl and turned his full attention to the Sharingan-user. "Because it often gets in the way during missions, it's hard to maintain, and overall, it's just not sensible to have long hair in the shinobi occupation. Now, do you mind answering my question?"

"You've been doing find with it so far," he countered, glaring down at his bowl of rice.

"True," Neji said, slowly, "but I've been thinking about this for a while."

"So, you actually plan on doing this then?" If he was thinking straight, Sasuke would have realized that his voice was a little higher than usual, so lost in his panic that he was forgetting to hide his emotions like usual. And it was that slipup that allowed Neji to finally catch up to what was going on in the Uchiha's head.

The Jounin smiled amusedly at him. "No, I've just been thinking about it."

"Good. Don't."

"Sasuke, why—"

"Just don't!" There was a pause. "Please?" came the weak addition.

"I won't," Neji promised, trying not to laugh. "But will you please tell me why you don't want me to cut my hair."

Face flushing red, Sasuke gripped the edge of the table in a defiant silence for several silent minutes. Finally, deciding that he was probably not going to answer, Neji returned to eating, sending amused looks toward the other shinobi every once in a while.

"Maybe I…"

It came out so soft that even Sasuke wondered if he had actually spoke aloud. He cleared his throat, turning redder by the second.

"Maybe I kind of… sort of… like your hair… the way it is…"

Neji's pale cheeks flushed with sudden color, but he smiled in appreciation as he added, "Don't worry, Sasuke. I won't cut my hair. I promise."

The Uchiha loosened his grip on the table and turned his attention back to the rice bowl that sat in front of him, but there was a small smile on his lips as well. Later on that night, as they were falling asleep, Sasuke ran his hand through Neji's dark mane unabashedly.


	31. Tasting

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. Hallelujah!

** Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

I didn't update because I broke up with my boyfriend and I was in a crappy mood and basically damning all romance stories to Hell. Yup. Not much else to say about that.

I got the inspiration for this drabble from "Death By Chocolate" by Jennifer Darknight. That story is so good, everybody should go read it. It's ten times better than this, I'm telling you! The only problem I had with it is that Sasuke was the person who made the sweet snack and was trying to get Neji to try it... but Sasuke doesn't like sweets, so that didn't make sense to make. So, ta-da, this was born!

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

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**Tasting**

They were hot, exhausted, and extremely thankful to be back inside. They had been training for the better part of the afternoon, sparring with each other or wasting their energy on mats strapped around trees. It had been a good, long workout, but that did not mean that they were not tired. Even if neither of them would admit as such.

The Hyuuga compound was nicely cooled, and Hinata had a tray of ice cold tea waiting for them with ginbou on the side. Sasuke gratefully took the tea, drinking it quickly and letting the icy feeling spread through his overheated body, but he ignored the ginbou. He did not like sweets.

Neji, on the other hand, drank his tea slowly, savoring the taste, before biting off a piece of the ginbou that Hinata had made. Nodding in satisfaction, he said, "Delicious as always, Hinata-sama."

She flushed slightly, bowing her head and smiling. "Th-thank you, Neji-niisan."

Noticing that Sasuke was completely ignoring the ginbou, Neji elbowed him. "You should try it," he said. "It's good."

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't like sweets."

Out of the corner of his eye, Neji saw Hinata deflate slightly. She had made the special treat today specifically for their guest, he could tell, and Sasuke ended up not even liking it. Feeling a little protective of her feelings, Neji frowned. Hinata was always hesitating in doing more than what she was told because she was always afraid of doing the wrong thing. The last thing she needed was more proof that she should not do things on a whim.

"Just try it," he said.

Sasuke gave him a look. "I told you, I don't like sweets."

"It's good," he insisted. "Just try it."

The dark-eyed boy stared at him. "I'm not going to eat something I don't want to."

Hinata was getting ready to leave, Neji realized, watching her head bow lower out of disappointment. She turned to exit, but he threw a quick look in her direction telling her to hold on. He was going to get Sasuke to try the sweets even if he had to shove them down his throat.

Neji smiled. Now _that_ was an idea.

Taking a bite of the ginbou, he glanced at Sasuke. The younger boy had stopped staring at him, obviously thinking that he had finally given up on getting him to eat the sweets. How very wrong he was.

With one quick swoop, Neji was pressing his lips against Sasuke's.

Sasuke made a very interesting sound, something between a gasp a squeak, before finally relaxing into the kiss. With his tongue pushing past Sasuke's teeth, Neji easily let the sweet taste of the ginbou spread across the other's tongue. Even when Neji was quite sure that Sasuke had gotten the full taste of the sweet, he stayed lip locked with the other shinobi. There was something very satisfying about kissing the Uchiha. Something very distracting about it, too.

Finally, they pulled apart, both breathing a little heavier than usual.

Sasuke licked his lips, slightly dazed.

"Good, huh?" Neji said, smiling.

He gave a small nod. "Yeah… very good."

There was a sudden _THUMP_ from behind them. They turned.

Hinata had fainted.


	32. Fortune

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Though, I do know a Naruto look-alike... now _that's_ pretty awesome.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

Yo! Sorry about yesterday. I woke up two hours late, and while that was still not late for school--I usually wake up three hours early so that I can one, wash my hair (I have a LOT of hair) two, I can post on here (it actually takes me almost an hour to post and reply to all of your reviews, heh) and three, eat breakfast (actually, drinking hot cocoa or coffee is my breakfast, but whatever)! So, yes, I was two hours late getting up and freaking out. No time for posting, unfortunately!

Everybody should go read "A Change in Life" by Ruby Heart. It is brilliant. It has NaruGaa, though, so I'm warning you now. It is still brilliant. And then, once you have read it, you should bug her to UPDATE for God's sake! I want her to update... -pout-

This drabble belongs to MIMICKING KARMA. Here you are, sweetheart, with the word you chose! I had many definitions of the word to choose from, so I chose the one I liked best. I bend the rules like that. Ha. Also, a friend of mine challenged me to have Neji call Sasuke "babe" and make it sound in-character. I don't know if I succeeded, but maybe...? Hopefully. I hope you like your chapter, Mimicking Karma! I think it's the longest yet, actually.

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

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**Fortune**

At age seven, they could have met.

If Itachi had waited only a day, the Hyuugas would have met with the Uchihas. They would have conversed for over nine hours. Itachi would have been in there, helping to represent their clan as the heir. Hinata would have been in there too, terribly shy but respectfully quiet as was expected. Hanabi would have been left at home, though, too young to attend the meeting.

Neji, however, would have been brought, but he would have been left in the care of Sasuke's mother. She would have sat the two boys down for lunch before sending them out to play. Hyuugas and Uchihas don't play, though, so they would "train". Even if their "training" ended in childish giggles and smiles, something that Neji had not felt for a while and something that Sasuke never thought he would be lacking.

At age eight, they could have confided in each other.

If Itachi had waited only a day, Neji would have sought Sasuke out three days later when the traumatized boy had returned to school. He would not have said anything, simply sat there with him. Sasuke would have been grateful for his presence, but he would be too embarrassed and upset to say so. Neji would be happy to find somebody else who knew the pain he had experienced, happy to know that he was not alone.

Every lunch from then on, they would meet each other and eat together and eventually Sasuke would speak again and eventually they would laugh together again. Only together, though, because they would know how harsh the world could be and they would hate it with a fiery passion. But they would not be alone, ever, and that knowledge felt great.

At age nine, they could have been best friends.

If Itachi had waited only a day, the two of them would have sparred together everyday. They would have practiced and given each other pointers. Instead of being rivals, they would have been partners and as a pair, they could have been unstoppable.

Then, when night would fall, when the two of them would stay out too late training, both forgetting about the Hyuuga curfew, Sasuke would help Neji sneak into his room as not to get in trouble. Because if Neji got in trouble, they would not be able to see each other for at least a week and Sasuke always hated that.

Sometimes, Neji's uncle would let Sasuke stay over if he was feeling kind. And, sometimes, even if Hyuuga Hiashi had not allowed it, Sasuke would stay over anyway. Because he was lonely all by himself in the Uchiha Manor, and Neji could understand that. Because he felt lonely at the Hyuuga Compound, too.

At age ten, they could have come to terms with everything.

If Itachi had waited only a day, Sasuke could have been listening to Neji talk about destiny and his hatred for the main family before blurting out that he sounded like an idiot. Neji would glare and snap back that he couldn't have sounded any more stupid than when Sasuke would go on his rants about revenge and his brother.

They would really, truly fight for the first time, both angry at their whole way of life being crushed in their best friend's palm, and both would walk away with way too many bruises. They would avoid each other for almost a month afterward, not wanting to face the other.

Then, Neji would see Hinata training alone, trying her hardest to meet her father's expectations, and Sasuke would see Naruto sitting all alone, drawing pictures in the sand and smiling despite it all, and they would both realize that the other was right. Then they would awkwardly try to apologize to the other (but fail miserably), and life would continue as though nothing had ever happened. But they would both be happier, just so much happier than before.

At age eleven, they could have shared their first kiss.

If Itachi had waited only a day, the two of them would have been sparring as usual when Neji would gain the upper hand. He would pin Sasuke to the ground, knee to his chest and wrists held firmly in either of his hands. They would stare at each other for several seconds, neither saying a word as the air around them seemed to suddenly change.

Then Sasuke would be lifting his head ever so slightly and Neji would lean down to meet it halfway. The kiss would be quick and awkward but sweet and soft, too. And while Neji would jump up and dust his pants off as though it had never happened, Sasuke would lie there dazed for several more minutes. Then, a week later, Sasuke would repeat the incident and this time there would be no pretending.

By age twelve, they could have been happy. Really, truly, happy.

If Itachi had waited only a day to massacre the Uchiha Clan, but he didn't wait a day. It was their fortune that he murdered the clan right on schedule and left Sasuke alive as was planned. Fortune that the two Konoha shinobi grew up without the other and so many things happened that could have been avoided. If only Itachi had wait a day.

But he didn't. And there was no use in dwelling on it.

"Babe, what's wrong?"

Sasuke snapped out of his reverie to look up at Neji who was giving him a concerned look. He was slacking off in training again, obviously, and the younger boy gave his head a little shake to clear his thoughts. Then he smiled as the nickname registered in his mind.

Uchiha Sasuke could say that by age seventeen, he was really, truly happy even _if_ Itachi hadn't wait a day.


	33. Pain

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I could not deal with those early morning meetings.

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

I woke up late again. This seems to be the habit of the week. Every other day I've been waking up late and every other day besides that, I've been arriving to school late. It's an interesting cycle. And do you know what I realized? Hinata has to fight over Sasuke for Naruto, not Sakura. She has to climb and work her way over Sasuke to finally get Naruto to notice her and that's depressing. I guess that's why I like SasuNeji, because then Naruto has a reason to look away and notice Hinata. Maybe. I don't know.

Everybody should go read "Hammered and Dared" by B. J. Sanders. It is awesome. Seriuosly. Very cute, funny, and I like it. I'm sure you would to. No warnings really, unless you don't like to hear the mentions of sex sounds. -shrugs-

This drabble is dedicated/belongs to sasuke'sgurl4ever. You came up with the word and I came up with the drabble! Woo. Teams are awesome. But seriously, your word gave me such a hard time because right around the time I started getting ready to write it, I had just come across all of these NejiSasu fics that had to deal with some form of bondage and pain for pleasure type of stuff (which I really do not like, actually, and scarred me for life, thank you very much), and so that was all I could think about! But, I finally got my head straight, thank God.

This is the last drabble I've written so far, so you probably won't be hearing from me for a while. Just a head's up.

Review Replies are on my bio. (God, I rambled today.)

Enjoy!

* * *

**Pain**

15th of August:

"You were my first real kiss."

He had once kissed Naruto on accident, Neji knew, but he knew that Sasuke never considered that a real kiss.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Wasn't as good as I thought it'd be."

He was only lying, he saw, because Sasuke was not looking him in the eye.

"I'm sorry."

"What about you? Was I your first kiss?"

Neji looked at him.

"No."

"Who was it then?"

Neji shrugged.

"Somebody."

Then Sasuke had that look on his face. That look that said that he did not like not knowing something. That look that almost spelt out betrayal. And Neji simply ignored it.

23rd of September:

"You were the first person I let hold me like this."

Sakura had once held him just as he was holding Sasuke now, Neji knew, but he also knew that he never counted that moment.

"Really?"

"Yeah. But you're too rough sometimes. Lighten up, would you?"

Sasuke hated it when he tried to be tender and loving, so he knew he was just messing around.

"No, I like holding you like this."

"Bastard. What about you? Has anybody ever held you like this besides me?"

Neji pressed his lips against Sasuke's neck.

"Yes."

"Who was it?"

Neji shrugged.

"Somebody."

Then Sasuke was pulling away from him, that hurt look on his face again, but he still said nothing. And Neji simply ignored its existence.

11th of October:

"You were the first person to see me like this."

Relaxed with no tension and no need to be on guard. He could be like this around Kakashi-sensei, he knew, but he also knew that Sasuke would never admit that.

"Really?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that I trust you."

He was lying again, Neji saw, because he lightly placed his hand over his neck—perfect position for strangulation—and Sasuke did nothing.

"I trust you."

"Che. What about you? Am I the only person you've ever felt this comfortable with?"

Neji places his ear up against Sasuke's chest, right over his heart.

"No."

"Who else, then?"

Neji shrugged.

"Somebody."

Then Sasuke was pushing him off of him and curling into himself like he did whenever he was upset. And Neji simply rolled over to the other side and went to sleep.

3rd of November:

"You were the first person I slept with."

Neji knew of what Orochimaru had tried to do once thanks to Sasuke telling him, but he also knew that he had blocked it from his mind.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It hurt like hell, thanks a lot."

He was only partially telling the truth. He knew that Sasuke had enjoyed it after the first initial discomfort.

"Not my fault."

"Whatever. What about you? Have you slept with anybody else besides me?"

Neji continued to massage the sore muscles in Sasuke's back.

"Yes."

"Who was it?"

Neji shrugged.

"Somebody."

Sasuke stood abruptly and walked away, all of the tension that he had been working to get out suddenly returning. And Neji sighed and picked up his weapons pouch, ignoring the retreating back.

30th of December:

"You were my first love."

Sasuke once loved Itachi, Neji knew, and he probably even loved Naruto at some point and time but just didn't realize it.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I'm glad it was you."

He was being sincere this time, no deceit hidden in his voice, and he knew he meant it.

"I'm glad it was me, too."

"Don't be so full of yourself. What about you? Am I the only person you've ever loved?"

Neji tightened his grip on Sasuke's hand.

"No."

"Who was it then?"

Neji shrugged.

"Somebody."

Then Sasuke was pulling his hand away from his grasp and picking up his ninja gear as he left, probably off to get a mission. And Neji simply watched, ignoring the obvious pain in Sasuke's face.


	34. Somebody

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Nor the orange that he must constantly wear. Nor the whisker marks (but damn would I love to own those.)

** Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

Er... hi? -nervous laugh- Oh man; I know. I suck. This drabble is not even worth the wait, really. But I was having the BIGGEST problem getting started in writing again, so here you are. School is stressful, as always, so I will blame the wait on that. The play I'm in is ending soon, so hopefully I'll be having more time to write after that, especially since my play that I wrote is finished and ready to submit into the contest even though it's not due till after Thanksgiving. For once, I'm ahead! WOOT!

Everybody needs to go read "Twisted" by Mujaki no Tsubasa. I am the co-author. It is LIME with LEMON ahead. This would be my first ever piece of smut, so go and give me some constructive criticism. I write Neji's character while Mujaki no Tsubasa writes Sasuke (and what a lovely Sasuke she is). You may recognize her name from the other story I reccomended, "The Best Mistakes" by Mercury Chaos. Yes, she also writes Sasuke for that story. She's just a good author. Check out her stuff!

So, SO sorry for the wait. Hopefully I'll pick up my writing habit once again. Maybe. Hopefully. We'll see.

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Somebody**

Neji loved Sasuke; he loved him more than he believed he could ever love another person at all, but Sasuke was not the only person he had ever loved. He was not the only person to ever be held by him, and he was not the only person Neji had ever made love to. Sasuke was not the only person to receive affection from Hyuuga Neji.

There were others, some now nameless and forgotten, their affairs too short or too frivolous to hold a place in Neji's mind. He did not like to talk about those other people; those other people that he had fallen in love with—sometimes hard and fast and other times slowly with nudges here and there—just as he had fallen in love with the Uchiha.

Sasuke often told him, as they lay together in their bed, wrapped in each other's arms, that Neji was the only person he had loved and ever could love; that Neji was the only person that he had ever kissed; that Neji was his _only_. It was romantic and sweet in Sasuke's own way, but Neji could never return the sentiment. Because, as much as he would like to lie and say that he was, Sasuke was _not_ the only person he had ever loved or made love to or kissed… and no amount of regret would ever change that fact, nor would he ever imagine changing it.

All of those people, all of those nameless face, they had meant something once. Because of that, he had worked hard at those relationships, learning as he went along to try to become the best lover that he could. They had taught him many things, some useless but most not, and he doubted Sasuke would love him half as much as he did if he had not learned all he could from them.

"You were my first real kiss."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Wasn't as good as I thought it'd be."

"I'm sorry."

"What about you? Was I your first kiss?"

"No."

"Who was it then?"

"Somebody."

Then Sasuke would walk away, and Neji would let him go. Because he knew that if he loved something, it would return if let go if it was meant to be his forever. And Sasuke would return. He would return with a pout on his lips, sometimes scratched up from training in frustration, but always with that same look in his eyes. The look that said that he loved Neji and Neji would give him that same look back. Then he would love him like he loved no other, because that was what he had learned to do.


	35. Ailurophobia

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. Nope. Not me. Go ask the homeless guy down the street.

**Author's Notes: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

I AM SICK. In fact, I am so sick that I am shaking so much that my hands barely touch the keyboard. How the heck did I get this sick just from yesterday morning when everything was hunky-dory? HELL IF I KNOW. It sucks. So much. Let me go kill myself now... ugh... I feel like complete and utter CRAP.

Everybody should go read "red and grey" by Taes. It has mention of incest, but otherwise it's a pretty clean piece of fiction with onlykissing present. The themes are pretty adult, though! So, yeah, ye be warned.

This word was thought up by Prosopopeia; this drabble belongs to you. You can reproduce it anyway you like; I don't care. I'm not big on credit, actually, just as long as you don't say it's your own, I'm fine with it. I hope you like it... this damn this gave me the biggest block of writer's block EVER. But! I wrote it... and it's not funny like you thought it would be... and it's not really about about Sasuke being afraid of cats... but ummm... I CHEATED, OKAY!?

-cough- Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Ailurophobia**

There was something erotic and beautiful about Sasuke. The way he moved and struggled; the way his face contorted with rage and spat up at him; the way his eyes darted back and forth wildly and yet find a way to always be keeping tabs on him. There was something about Sasuke that drew people in like a fish caught to a line and something that reeled Neji in.

That was probably why he jumped at the chance to be Sasuke's guard.

Jumping at the chance was not the exact phrase. It was more like he volunteered himself if his abilities were needed; apparently they were. Covered with seals from head to toe to make sure that the ex-missing-nin did not try to betray Konoha again, it was Neji's job to make sure that his chakra flow did not randomly stop, killing the younger ninja.

Younger.

That was something that always got to Neji. Uchiha Sasuke was almost exactly a year younger than Neji, and yet at times he thought of him as so much older and other times as so much younger. Sasuke could be wise beyond his years, a man who had seen and experienced too much, a person who knew too much about the evil of the world and the way it worked. At the same time, though, Sasuke could be like a small child, lost and frightened inside his own head, running around and not knowing when to stop, looking for a safe place to hide.

It both frightened and intrigued Neji.

But at times like these, as eyes threatened to flash red but never quite succeeding as seals beyond seals held him back, and Neji looming over him, pinning the boy beneath him, he realized the animalistic beauty that the Uchiha contained. Always trying to fight and get out of this cage that he was thrown in, and yet not quite willing to try to face the world. He was like a cat; somehow, no matter if he was completely and utterly beaten by Neji, pinned by the older ninja, and possibly subjectable to his every whim, he always managed to land on his feet. It was interesting.

It was ironic.

Sasuke could snarl and growl and spit up at him all he wanted, but Neji would not and could not let the other boy up until he calmed down. There had been nights where Neji had kept him pinned down all night until the other boy finally drifted off to sleep and he could finally get up. It was nights like these that Sasuke actually slept peacefully; whenever Neji was near when the other man fell to sleep, there were no nightmares, no reminders, no whorish memories that invaded his sleep.

There was just silence.

But most nights, when Neji would actually listen to Sasuke's wishes of him leaving him alone to sleep in peace, there would be screams and gasps and, sometimes, Neji could make out names in the sobs. He would call out for his mother, his father, and sometimes, among the gibberish, Neji swore that Sasuke would call out for his brother.

Neji never spoke of these nights, though.

These were the nights that he would never speak of. The ones where he would gather Sasuke in his arms and hold him until the other boy would calm down. Then the Uchiha would realize where he was and who was holding him and the awkwardness would set in. The younger boy would pull away, trying to find his footing, his eyes darting back and forth, and waiting for the normal air to settle in. It was times like these that Neji saw Sasuke for what he truly was; it was times like these that Neji knew the truth.

Sasuke was a cat afraid of his own shadow.


	36. Scared

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. If I did, I would have murdered the fillers a long time ago.

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it, leave. 'Tis that simple.

This drabble belongs to SilverWing129. It's is SasuNeji as you requested! It is also rather... erm... GRAPHIC. I didn't know what else to do... so I wrote about sex. Yup. I'm that pathetic. Ha. Oh well... Also, this is the last drabble I've written... AGAIN. I will try to write one while in school today so that I can put that one up tomorrow, but since I'm still sick, I doubt my head will be working well enough. Blargh.

Ailurophobia: Fear of Cats. Yup. I cheated. -sweatdrop-

Also, everybody should go read "Uninvited" by Pirate Burn. It is AMAZING. There is no NejiSasu yet, though... but if you bug her to frikkin UPDATE, I'm sure it'll eventually show up. Heh. Her writing is amazing, though, so just go read it and be happy, because it's a great story. Seriously. I love it!

Review Replies are on my bio.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Scared**

Sasuke was a cold-blooded killer; he was brought up to be that way. There was nothing wrong with it. That was the job of a shinobi; that was his job as an Uchiha. He remembered every person he ever killed; ever life he ever destroyed and took away. He was not proud of it, but he would never pretend that it did not happen; that he did not take those lives away willingly. It was a part of who Sasuke was.

Uchiha Sasuke was a killer. A murderer. A shinobi. A tool. An Uchiha.

The Hyuuga were different. Their specialty was capturing fugitives alive and making sure that they were no longer a threat. They were efficient in the art of silent seize and capturing; infiltration with use of their Byakugan; spying. The Hyuuga were silent and not as violent as their murderous brethren.

Except for Hyuuga Neji. A genius by any means, Neji was the perfect assassin. With his eyes more advanced than most of his clan put together, he could stop a heart with the simple touch of a palm to a chest. People caught on this right away; having a Hyuuga as an assassin would be an asset. Mistakes would be few. He became the most wanted tool of Konoha next to the last living Uchiha. A tool of perfection.

It made Neji sick.

Whenever the pale-eyed boy returned from one of his assassin missions, soaked in coughed up blood or as clean as his killing method, his mask would be in place, the perfect tool without emotion until he entered the confines of privacy. He would find privacy in Sasuke's apartment more often times than not. He always felt dirty, tainted, impure by the death dealt by his own hands. He would feel dead… like Death himself personified… and Sasuke would be there to revive him once again.

Pale eyes, lifeless, blank, would look up and Sasuke would reach out to graze his nails along bare shoulders to catch his attention. Black looked into white; white as cool and despairing as a winter's snow, and black as bottomless and safe as a catcher's net. Gently, a comforting gaze would hold eyes of white. A silence only broken by their lusty breathing, and movement only seen as the younger boy slowly entered the tight ring of muscle of the older boy. A pale face would contort slightly in pain, and Sasuke would massage the bare shoulders soothingly.

"I'm not going to let you fall," he would say before their practiced rhythm would start.

And he wouldn't; Sasuke would hold fast to the Hyuuga as he pounded life back into the other boy. Neji would be like a stone, expressions barely flickering as Sasuke sailed closer and closer to the peak. The Hyuuga would not start to show any emotion till he was close, so close that Sasuke could count every bead of sweat on his face, so close and so predictable that he knew that Neji was going to climax the moment those all-seeing eyes would screw shut in ecstasy. Then, one of them would cry out and the other would follow shortly after, and once again the air would be filled with breathy gasps.

Then, only sometimes, when the death had been particularly horrible, Neji would not move from his position even several moments after the sex had ended. Sasuke would understand, and he would lie down beside him, taking the other boy in his arms, and no matter how many times he did this, Neji would always flinch away from him, surprised and still not 'alive' yet. Sasuke would just hold him tighter, placing a soft kiss to the other boy's temple and letting his breath waft over his face. A sigh would leave his lips.

"I'm not going to let you fall."

And, as if to prove his point, Sasuke would tighten his grip. Five minutes, ten minutes, sometimes forty minutes later, Neji would finally relax and that dead look in eyes of white would disappear.

Sasuke would have done his job; he would have killed the ghosts following Neji around for the time. Then there would be another mission, more ghosts, and their cycle would repeat. He would be needed again, slaying demons that followed the longhaired Jounin around. And he would kill his own fears—his own loneliness—at the same time.


	37. Whine

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto... less it be much more depressing.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI.. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

Where have I been? Well, I daresay, I've been out living! Is this going to start getting updated regularly? Probably not. But it will continue to be updated every once in a while... luckily, this is not a complete chaptered story or that fact may seem very annoying.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Whine**

"Sasuke, there's nothing I can do about it," Neji sighed.

But the other boy was not relenting. He could feel that harsh glare from the Uchiha burning into his back, leaving him feeling cold and depressed. He hated when this happened, when they would argue, and most of the time, Neji agreed with the younger boy. He especially agreed with him now. But it not as though he had any say or any choice or any control over anything. It was out of his hands.

"What do you want me to do? I can't change it!"

He turned to face his lover, red eyes glaring at him from across the room. He hated how Sasuke refused to speak when he was upset, how he always seemed to expect Neji to be able to make everything right again. And he hated how he couldn't make everything right again. He was a Hyuuga; he was part of the Branch Family; he had betrayed their beliefs and now he was going to pay.

"If you're not going to talk to me, I'm just going to go."

There was nothing left to be said. Except that Sasuke decided to speak at that moment.

"You're going to walk right into your own death."

His voice was so low that Neji paused upon hearing it, wondering if he had imagined it. But he knew Sasuke's timbre better than anyone's, and he caught each syllable with his sensitive ears. A sigh fell past his lips. He knew that Sasuke was right. Sasuke knew that he was right.

"I can't not go," Neji whispered.

He made to leave, unable to bear Sasuke's suffocating presence any longer, except suddenly the Uchiha was barring the door with his body, daring the Hyuuga to try to get past him. If he didn't leave soon, he was going to be late, and if he was late… there would be hell to pay, and the inevitable death would seem like a blessing comparatively.

"Sasuke," he breathed.

"You look like you don't even care," Sasuke growled out, his eyes flashing. "Like you don't give a fuck what they're going to do to you!"

"I do care, Sasuke," he said, his voice quiet in the night air. "Do you think I want to… leave this? Leave you?"

He raised his hand to gently touch the younger boy's cheek, but Sasuke yanked his face away, a half-hearted snarl on his face. Neji let out another sigh.

"But this is what I was born for," he continued, straightening up. "To protect and serve the Main House, and if I break those rules that they set up for me… well, I have to be punished."

"It's bullshit!" Sasuke snapped loudly. Neji opened his mouth to try to quell his anger, but the Uchiha wasn't through. "Why the fuck should they care what you do with your life!? It's none of their damn business! They just need to butt the fuck out of our life and leave us alone!"

"Sasuke…" Neji began, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice.

But Sasuke still wasn't through. "There's got to be some way to fix this… some way to change this… Maybe a Genjutsu… sneak you out of Konoha…"

"Sasuke," he tried again.

"Or wait till night and flee then; they wouldn't be able to find out that fast!"

"Sasuke-"

"I'm sure there would be somewhere we could go. The Hokage couldn't say no… And fuck the Hokage if she does!"

"Sasuke, stop!"

"No!" Sasuke shouted, his grip on the doorframe tightening to the point that his knuckles were turning white from blood loss. "I can't lose you!"

And the words tumbled out of Sasuke's mouth so quickly that even he seemed surprised by them. There was silence as the two brightest shinobi stared at one another, and Neji felt his resolve start to crumble as his all-seeing white eyes caught the untamed tears pooling in the Uchiha's depths. He hung his head, feeling weak and powerless. He couldn't fix this. Neither of them could.

"Sasuke," he breathed, pulling the younger boy into his arms, and holding tight to him.

Sasuke did not even hesitate in returning the embrace, and Neji found it terrifying that he could feel the Uchiha – the will of steel – trembling in his arms. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, anything… Maybe along the lines of _I love you_ or _I will always love you_ or _I don't regret a thing_, but all that came out was…

"I'm sorry," and then he was pushing past his lover to head to his death…

Because, in the end, Naruto was wrong, and fate had caught up with him and showed him just how much of a slave to it he really was. He knew, and Sasuke knew, that no matter where he would run… the mark upon his forehead would always be there, and they would find him, wherever he would go.


	38. Dash

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto... or else all of the men would have been dressed in sexy black muscle-tight shirts. Yum. And cargo-pants... those are sexy too...

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

I hope to one day get to 100 with these drabbles. That would be a feat, me thinks. But that does not mean that these are going to be regularly updated. My view on it... I need to write a page a day from now on, and if convenient... this story may get the attention for that page a day. I'm no longer replying to reviews on my bio... I will simply reply over PM. Much easier, me thinks.

Also... these next few words all were thought up by somebody... but I have long since forgotten who. But just be content in the knowledge that they were!

Everybody should go read "The Consequences of Losing" by nighinvisible. It was the first NejiSasuNeji story that I _ever_ read, and it is still, to this day, my absolute favorite completed piece! So... go read it. It's absolutely delicious! There IS smut, though, just a warning!

Enjoy!

* * *

**Dash**

They each avoided the other's hand by a mere millimeter, and it was only their expert eyes that saved them. Had they been in a real battle, they would have both been fearful for their life – After all, Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Neji were two of the greatest shinobi to grace Konoha in a long time. As it was, the simple act of sparing brought a smirk to both of their lips.

Sasuke charged with a kunai in hand, aiming for the Hyuuga's bicep, but the white-eyed boy was too quick and ducked beneath his blow. Crouching down, Neji did a quick back-swipe as the Uchiha stumbled past and caught the back of the boy's thigh, pushing the foreign chakra into his system, immediately sending Sasuke crashing into the ground.

Neji stood at full height with a victorious smirk on his lips.

Sasuke glared up at him from his position on the ground, his now numb leg stretched out behind him useless. He let a growl in annoyance.

"You cheated," he snapped.

The Hyuuga raised a delicate eyebrow. "You're the one that brought out the kunai."

Said kunai went sailing by his head and planted itself into the training post behind him not a second later. Neji simply smirked at that.

"Wipe that smirk off your face Hyuuga before I make you," the dark-eyed boy warned.

"Then make me," Neji challenged.

For the Uchiha's part, Neji did not even see him move before he felt himself being slammed into the ground, his body leaving a perfect indention in the earth where he landed. He grunted, the air being forced out of his lungs as the Uchiha landed on top of him, good leg on his chest and both hands holding fast to his wrist. This time, it was Sasuke's turn to smirk.

"I win," he muttered in declaration.

Neji could come up with twenty-five different ways to get out of his position, but none of them really seemed worth it. So, he simply half-smiled.

"I know," he conceded.

A second later, the Uchiha's lips were on his own, and Neji could not help the small chuckle that rose up in his throat as they kissed.

_If this is what I get for losing_, he thought, smirking slightly against the kiss, _then losing isn't so bad._


	39. Candy

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto... and why would I want to? Neji and Sasuke have interacted ONCE. That's not the basis of a good story. Pssh.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

For somebody who is not getting back into the habit of writing this story... I sure am updating a lot, aren't I? Oh well. It's Spring Break, so I guess I can do that. Starting Monday, however, it's back to school, so not sure how much you'll really be seeing of me then!

The story this time around is "Light and Dark" by The Caged Bird. I love it very much! It is very dear to me! The only problem, however, is that it is not complete... so if you read, do bug for an update, won't you? Thank you.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Candy**

They really should have been taking the mission more seriously, but Neji and Sasuke could not pass the opportunity up. Given a six month undercover mission where the only danger was whether or not they would be discovered – when they both knew that they were far too good for _that_ – they saw no reason not to use it to their advantage. Their objective was simple: get cozy with the town's people so that they could gather as much information as possible about the new 'super secret' ninjutsu technique that the Stone Shinobi were said to have been developing.

This type of mission, they had discovered, was only made that much easier by their good looks. All they had to do was pay a pretty girl a little more attention than what she was used to, and she was blabbing all sorts of top secret information to them. It made the mission a success in less than one month, but…

The number of times that Neji and Sasuke could actually count being alone together could fit on one hand. They were always being interrupted by missions or teammates or some other random occurrence. But it was not as though they could tell everyone to leave them the fuck alone already! – because nobody knew about the little arrangement that the two geniuses of Konoha had fallen into.

And they had fallen – hard and fast. Not that either of the normally stoic men would admit to _that_

So, when presented with the hotel suite topped off with chocolate mints on the pillow as payment for helping the owner locate her three missing puppies – a D-Rank mission at its best but quite the feat for two 'normal' men to have accomplished in ten minutes – they decided, for once, to allow themselves to indulge a little.

Just a little.

"Join me," Sasuke said from his position at the bathroom door.

Neji looked up at his lover, memorizing every detail of the half-naked Jounin from where he sat. Sasuke watched him just as intently, a ghost of a smile gracing his features. For once, they both realized, neither looked tense at all. Neji allowed a smile to spread across his lips as he stood.

"Okay," he agreed, before following the Uchiha into the hot bath that awaited them.

Too much did they focus on missions and rules and dignity and pride… and for once, there was nothing there keeping them from each other – it was just them and the water.


	40. Euphoria

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Never have. Never will.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

Er... this is not mpreg. Yeah. This is about surrogate mothers in homosexual relationships. A couple of friends of mine - a gay couple - decided to have a child recently, so they found a surrogate mother, BOTH of them supplied sperm (neither caring who would be the real "father"), and they ended up with twins, one from each father. Their twins were girls, but I decided to do it a little differently... 

Everybody should go read "Cat and Mouse" by Quamidu. Very good story. Hints of NaruKiba and lemon end of second chapter. Just a little warning. 

Enjoy! 

* * *

**Euphoria**

It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. 

The world around him seemed to fade as he stared down at the face of innocence in his arms. The face was so pure and untainted and had yet to be touched by the world. The face that was less than an hour old, wrinkled and not exactly handsome… but beautiful all the same. The face that had, with only one look, somehow captured Sasuke's heart of ice and melted it in his tiny fist. 

The little baby was wrapped in a blanket and weighed less than most of the weapons the Sasuke carried around with him on missions. He was… perfect. And it seemed so cheesy or corny to think that, but that was the only word that came to mind as Sasuke looked down at the baby. And the baby, through squinted eyes, looked right back up at him. 

Sasuke opened his mouth, to say something, anything, to this little piece of innocence that was looking up at the Uchiha with wondering eyes. At least, Sasuke thought they were wondering… he couldn't be too sure. But as Sasuke opened his mouth to introduce himself—

_Hi, I'm your Dad._

—all that came out was a strange sound that sounded somewhat like a sigh. The baby continued to look up at him with those dark eyes (His eyes, Sasuke realized shakily), waiting for him to speak, waiting for him to inform him about the world, and something struck the Uchiha just then. Everything was going to change. There would be people relying on him now, expecting him to protect and teach them, expecting _him_ – the epitome of mistakes – to be perfect as well. 

First things, those weapons that weighed more than the little baby in his arms – they would have to be put away, _far_ away from his reach. 

A coo that was not quite a cry emitted from the other side of the room. Sasuke looked up as Neji entered the nursery with another baby, one just as small and fragile as the one in his arms, and made his way over to him. Sasuke watched entranced as the Hyuuga approached him, too afraid to move in fear of disturbing the baby in his arms, and reached over with his free arm to caress the younger boy's cheek. 

Sasuke's eyes shut of their own accord as he leaned into his touch, finding comfort for his suddenly panicked heart in the other boy's presence. Then he heard, almost like a whisper, Neji speak: "Amazing." 

Sasuke opened his eyes. Neji was standing in front of him, one arm supporting the tiny – _too tiny_, Sasuke had worried at first – baby boy while he gazed down at both the two newborns. Brothers. Twins. The one in Neji's arm swiveled its gaze onto Sasuke as though feeling its thoughts, the white eyes of the Hyuuga boring into him. He shifted the boy in his arms to one arm so he could trace the lines on the face of the other. 

"How's Tenten?" he muttered, still gazing down at the two bundles.

"Asleep."

She probably needed it, Sasuke realized at that answer. Giving birth to these two boys, no matter how perfect they were, could not have been easy. And at that moment, he had never felt more grateful toward a person than he felt toward the chocolate-haired girl. She was the boys' mother, Neji and Sasuke's surrogate, and none of this could have been possible without her. Tenten was a miracle worker, and the boys were her miracle. 

And Sasuke's miracle. And Neji's miracle, too. 

"Everything's going to change," Sasuke said, suddenly. 

Neji, however, simply smiled at that. "And for the better."


	41. Acquiring

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Not even the teensiest, tiniest portion of it.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

Hm. There's really not much to say about this one. Inspiration for this one came in the middle of dance class... I was watching one of the boys dance, and I realized - the men who can dance and dance WELL... are really sexy. So, I decided to exploit that.

Everybody should read "His New Friend" by Bullwinkle's Lady, because it is much too adorable to pass up! It's PG, so very light fluff, and I think anybody could enjoy it. Go read it and love!

Enjoy!

* * *

**Acquiring**

He never had a reason to stare at the Hyuuga until now. The usually stoic shinobi was out there on the dance floor with the rest of his old Genin Team and all eight (excluding Sasuke) of the Rookie Nine. Somehow, even Shino and Shikamaru had been dragged to the dance floor leaving only Sasuke of the twelve alone on the sidelines.

It was the anniversary of the Rookie Nine's graduation from the academy when they were measly little Genin. Sakura and Ino had come up with this idea together, and they had decided to go all out by having a party of sorts. Other than the Rookie Nine and Team Gai, there were plenty of other shinobi milling about, dancing, and eating the food. For Sasuke, though, dancing was not his thing. _Dancing_ had an acquired taste about it – either one loved it or they hated it, and Sasuke put himself in the latter category.

But there was _something_ about Hyuuga Neji…

Something about the way he moved that caught Sasuke's gaze and refused to let go. He was not even going all out like Naruto or Kiba were, and Tenten had to reach over to capture the slightly older boy's wrist before he could sneak off the floor again and again, but despite his reluctance…

He was graceful and sensual and right on the beat. He knew exactly when to move and how to move as though he had been dancing all his life – though from the way he kept eying the tables off to the side hopefully showed that he was not comfortable where he was. Whenever he would forget about the three dozen other people around, though, Sasuke would catch how those white eyes would fall closed, head lolling back just slightly, as his body moved expertly, side to side, up and down.

Even from where he was standing, Sasuke could see the glistening thin layer of sweat that was starting to glaze the Hyuuga's skin. His hair was pulled back tightly in a ponytail, with only a few stubborn strands finding their way to hang in his face. He was wearing a sleeveless black shirt which gave the Uchiha perfect view of Neji's perfectly toned arms as they flexed and relaxed with the beats of the song and the movement of his body.

All in all, Neji was a really good dancer.

So, when Sakura came over to Sasuke for the sixth time that night and pleaded with him to join them on the dance floor, he conceded much to her (and pretty much everybody else's) surprise.

He took his place on the dance floor right next to the Hyuuga as the song changed to a steadier fast-paced beat. He caught the raised eyebrow of the older boy when he began to dance without any goading, and a small smirk spread across the Uchiha's face as he felt Neji's gaze continue to stare, unwavering, as he moved. If the heat of the white-eyed boy's stare upon his body meant anything, then he concluded that he must be doing a pretty damn good job at this dancing bit.

It was his turn to be watched, and he did not mind at all.

In fact, he shifted in such a way that he brushed up against the older shinobi as he danced. It was done with such subtlety that it could have been an accident, if it weren't from the self-satisfied smirk on the Uchiha's lips and the almost teasing glance he threw toward him. The way he was acting… one could almost call it _flirting_

Then Sasuke felt, rather than saw, a smirk spread across the Hyuuga's lips as he finally got the message. A second later, the elder boy was dancing again. The acquired taste of dancing suddenly had never tasted so sweet.


	42. Desire

**isclaimer: **I do not own Naruto, no matter how much I love it!

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

Not much to say today. I hate waiting to hear back from colleges!

Everybody should go read "If Only" by YaoiSpark. Very good story! Go, go, go!

Enjoy.

* * *

**Desire**

Neji hated Uchiha Sasuke.

He hated him with a passion. He hated the way that he kissed him, the way he held him, the way he stared at him, the way he smiled, the way he frowned…

He mostly hated the way he made him lie.

The hate ran deep within Neji's bones and burned through his blood, but there was passion there, too. A burning desire whose flame shone just as brightly – if not brighter than – the hate in his soul. A desire that began with a single encounter, a single kiss.

Nothing would even exist if they had never encountered each other in the deepest forests of The Earth Country. Neji had been in the middle of an S-Class Assassination Mission, his target having rumored to be camping out in that forest, when he had felt the flare of familiar chakra. Sasuke had been an S-Class Missing Nin for almost four years at this point, but most other facts – other than the fact that he had ditched Sound – about the boy were unknown.

The sudden recognition of the chakra signature was his only warning before he was blocking an attack coming at him from his left.

When the battle suddenly changed from chakra-charged to libido-charged, Neji did not know, but suddenly a battle for life had grown into a battle for dominance. In the end, the Hyuuga did not even try to bring the Uchiha back to Konoha, and on his mission report, his name did not even appear.

Neji swore to never let that happen again, but the Uchiha had a strange power over the older boy. When he showed up again in front of the Hyuuga, instead of attempting to capture him like he should have – he just kissed him, passionately, desperately, and Sasuke kissed back with just as much fervor.

The Hyuuga was an ANBU, upholder of the law and order of Konoha, and he was having an affair with a Missing Nin. And not just any Missing Nin: Uchiha Sasuke. It disgusted him. He hated it, and yet – he could not break it off with the younger boy. Even if it meant lying, cheating, and betraying his village every second his white-eyes would bask in the sight of the Uchiha. He could not take away the only constant in Sasuke's life, no matter how much it made him hate himself.

Because, in the end, that was the real problem.

Neji didn't hate Sasuke. Not at all.

And he hated himself for that.


	43. Touching

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto nor have I ever owned Naruto. kthxbai.

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

Well, this was fun and hard. I have never written Gaara's character and I'm pretty sure that I butchered him to Hell, but whatever! That's why I don't write Gaara all the time, right? Right. Somebody requested this and I'm far too lazy to go figure out who, but here you are whoever you are!

Everybody should go read "The Reassurance of Sasuke" by Mimicking Karma. That, oddly enough, is a Neji/Gaara/Sasuke piece that is quite lovely indeed. It is LIME, so beware. But it is good Lime. Yum.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Touching**

As Kazekage, Gaara had learned many things that he would never have known as a normal villager, let alone as the bane of Suna. There were many things, however, that still escaped him just because that was who he was. One of those was to never listen to Naruto.

Waiting for a Kage meeting to start with Konoha's newest Hokage, Gaara thought it was a simple request.

"Sasuke and Neji are late again," Naruto sighed, staring down at his paperwork. The meeting couldn't truly begin until the two department Heads of ANBU showed up. "Gaara, I know you're a guest here in Konoha, but could you—?"

"Of course."

He did not mind. It was not as though it was a big deal.

With the address given, Gaara was on his way. He did not think to question as to why Neji and Sasuke lived together in the Uchiha District. He did not think to ask why the two department Heads of ANBU would very well be late. He did not think of any of that. Therefore, he arrived at the Uchiha's home in no time.

The second thing that escaped his understanding was the privacy of one's own home. Because of this, when he walked right into the address without knocking or announcing his presence, he did not see it as a problem. He was just completing a simple request. And again, when he sensed both of the shinobi he was looking for in the bathroom, he did not think to second guess himself before he followed the path toward the back.

There were very few things in the world that shocked the redheaded Kazekage, but this shocked – and perplexed – him. Considerably. Not that he showed any of that on his face. He didn't quite understand why Neji and Sasuke were both in the shower at the same time, but it must have had some benefit, because both of them were moaning with obvious delight.

Through the translucent curtain, he could tell they were both naked – of course they were naked, it was a shower – and it looked as though Neji was holding Sasuke from behind. It was probably to conserve space, Gaara concluded, and thought nothing else of it. It did not seem like that big of a deal, so Gaara had no second thoughts about announcing his presence to the two obviously oblivious shinobi.

"You're late to your meeting with the Hokage," he said, deadpanned.

And that was another thing he didn't quite understand. Why Sasuke pretty much flipped at realizing that Gaara was standing there, or why both of the usually stoic boys were so red for almost two hours afterward, or why Sasuke threatened to murder Naruto in unimaginable ways. It all seemed so odd to him, but he supposed that was just Konoha.


	44. Accident

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Because, honestly, I would not be brave enough to throw out the plot twist that Kishimoto has just done. Dear God!

**Author's Note:** This is SLASH or YAOI or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

Nothing much to say about this, really. I think it's a little confusing to understand what's going on, but whatever. Take your own interpretation, I say, and go with that. I was being vague on purpose.

Go read "Unrecorded Event" by Nabiku Kikuta. It's really an awesome story, very well written, and is vague enough according to the timeline that it very well may be true! Unlikely, but maybe. I can dream, right?

Enjoy!

* * *

**Accident**

Neji could feel Sasuke following him. He could feel those eyes boring into the back of his head as he walked down the streets toward the Hyuuga compound. Once he got there, the Uchiha would not be able to follow him anymore. The Uchiha was not allowed inside the Hyuuga compound.

But the quicker that Neji walked, the quicker that Sasuke followed, and Neji was just about to flicker home when rough hands finally grabbed him and pushed him into the closest alley. He only resisted a little – only enough to let the Uchiha know that he didn't want to be messed with – but not enough to even really try to get away. It was Sasuke, after all. Sasuke who rarely ever pursued anybody that wasn't part of his goals and who only did things that seemed important to him.

Neji doubted that he seemed important to him, but it was such a nice idea that he held onto it a little harder that he probably should have. Sasuke stood there, his hands gripped Neji's arms, not letting go, and his dark eyes staring into Neji's face fiercely. Despite how close they were, however, Neji couldn't read the Uchiha's facial expression, couldn't decipher the meaning behind that look.

Sasuke was the only one that could throw him off.

Sasuke ran his hand up Neji's arm gently. Neji simply stared at him, not reacting at all. After several silent moments of this, Sasuke finally dropped his hands, realizing that he was not going to get a reaction out of the Hyuuga. He seemed lost and confused for a moment, and Neji almost felt guilty, almost felt ashamed of driving the Uchiha to that (he had enough confusion, enough heartache in his life without the Hyuuga's help).

Then Sasuke was looking back up at him, and this time Neji knew what he was thinking. But he couldn't stop the Uchiha in time, and suddenly Neji found himself lip locked with the younger boy. He went to push him off – they had already been in this position once, and that hadn't been _real_ – but the Uchiha held fast to him, and worked further into the kiss.

They kissed and continued to kiss and kissed some more for what felt like years, months, days on end. And somewhere in the kiss, Neji had relaxed and began to kiss back, wrapping his arms around Sasuke's built frame and pulling the other boy closer. He knew it was wrong, they were just repeating a past event, reenacting something that should have been long forgotten, something that had happened on a drunken venture – not that either of them would have ever admitted to getting drunk, but that's what it was.

They had been drinking after a mission, and both of them had stayed long after their other teammates had retired, and somehow they had ended up at the Uchiha's flat. And somehow, that had led to more. Neji had sworn never to think on it again. He had a duty to his clan, a duty that did not involved the Uchiha in any way, and last he checked – the Uchiha had a duty as well. One that could not ever involve Neji.

And yet, here they were, caught in an embrace that neither really wanted to end.

It had been an accident, this was an accident, everything that they would fall into because of this would be an accident –

But maybe it wasn't a mistake.


	45. Betrayal

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. Of course, I didn't! The manga is definitely not doing what I would have it do!

**Author's Notes:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

I have now graduated! It is now summer! I am now FREE for a few months! So, we shall see what does for updates, hm?

Everybody should go read "What They Deserve" by whee XD. It has some NaruNejiNaru in it, but it's SasuNeji, trust me. It's pretty sad, though, so only read if you want some good angst! Speaking of angst...

Enjoy!

* * *

**Betrayal**

She was a pretty girl with long dark hair and generic dark eyes. She was young and hopeful with bright ideals of what a married life was going to be like. She had been planning out her wedding since she was a small child, and had always planned on marrying a strong shinobi even though she was only a civilian. She prided in her husband, believed in him, knew he could anything. To her, Hyuuga Neji was more of a trophy husband than she would ever be of a trophy wife. But she loved him so.

And he didn't love her.

She didn't know that, though. She believed in his words, his promises, his ever so small smiles. He was kind to her, gentle, and ever faithful. When they made love, it was some of the best times of her life. He was rougher during sex, more rugged and raw. He was an expert, knowing just where to touch her, how to get her blood flowing – not that he had ever had any other lovers. She was his first and only, and he was just good.

At least, that's what she thought.

She had been hand picked by Hyuuga Hiashi to be his nephew's wife. She had taken an oath, given up her previous life, and had become one of the Hyuuga maidens in a night. She had only been seventeen, and Neji only two years her senior, but that was a common practice of the clan to avoid them from dying out. She would never regret it, though, because they were a perfect match. Everybody said so.

Everybody except Neji.

She bore him two sons and a daughter all with the Hyuuga bloodline. The Hyuuga elders said that was a sign of a good match. She agreed. She raised them the best she could, but Neji had more of a hand in the raising of the children than she did. He had certain ideals and certain expectations that he had of each of the children, and that was why he spent so much time with them. That was her explanation.

That was her delusion.

He had never set out to deceive her, to lie to her, but the truth would be too painful. To drop something as raw as the truth onto a girl – a woman – who was so innocent; Neji could never bring himself to taint her, to poison her view on the world. As a shinobi, he was a master of deception, so it was no wonder that she never realized anything was amiss. She never knew why he had so many overnight missions or why he never instigated the sex. She never knew.

She never suspected.

He kept his two lives separate, never to meet, even as his heart lay with another and that other was married to another. Everything about these lives was such lies. He knew it. Sasuke knew it. Most that knew them – those who _really_ knew them – knew it. But all of them kept their mouths shut, never saying a word, and all would remain quiet. When Neji would kiss his wife, he never said the name of the face that floated through his mind (_Sasuke_) and instead would let out a little sigh of contentment.

But he was never content.

He would sit there and watch as his children and Sasuke's children would play together, and it would be then that he would realize how sick and twisted this whole thing was. It would make him sick, make him feel ill, but it would never be enough to end it. He would never imagine ending it. Because he didn't love her. He loved him. He loved Sasuke. And Sasuke loved him back with just as much vigor. Sasuke would never love his generic wife either, could never love her.

Because they love each other.

He almost rejoiced when his wife died, almost celebrated as she died without his secret ever reaching her ears. At least she died innocent. At least she died never knowing. And his children lived the same way, never knowing, never suspecting. And he and Sasuke worked hard to keep it like that. Neji didn't want his children knowing what kind of man, shinobi, father, husband he was. Didn't want them to look at him any differently. And Sasuke definitely didn't. They just wanted their children to be happy. For their village to be pleased.

For them to be loved.


	46. Secret

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Jiraiya was the one that came up with that name! GASP. SPOILER.

**Author's Notes:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

Haha. I actually liked writing this one. Something from a new point of view. That was fun. And something more lighthearted, too. I'm trying to keep a nice even balance between angst, fluff, and just plain lighthearted. I hope I'm doing a good job!

Everybody should go read "Points of Authority" by desolate butterfly. The first chapter actually has ShikaSasu, so if that seems weird to you... then you can just skip to the second chapter. The second chapter stands alone quite well and is yummy NejiSasu. Good story. Go read it!

Enjoy!

* * *

**Secret**

ANBU and Naruto had an understanding. Naruto didn't like killing, and ANBU didn't like him. Neji and Sasuke, however, had been snatched up by ANBU the second they could get their hands on them. And Shikamaru, who was also ANBU, had been placed on their team.

So, it was no surprise that Shikamaru had known first.

Despite Neji and Sasuke's attempts to be discrete, to throw off the genius's assumptions and thoughts and pretty much correct view on what was going on, he knew. He knew the moment they first got together, though they would never say it like that. They never said anything, not a word, to anybody, but Shikamaru—he didn't say anything either.

But then Naruto began inquiring in that way that Naruto does, and what was he supposed to say?

"Neh! Neh! How come Sasuke-teme and Neji spend so much time together?"

Shikamaru yawned, uninterested. "How should I know?"

"Because… because you're on their team, you should know!" And there was a hint of jealousy in his voice, because Naruto was supposed to be on Sasuke's team, but he wasn't.

Shikamaru just shrugged. "Maybe they like spending time together." And that was all he said, because he didn't want to get caught in a lover's quarrel.

But he should have known that it would not go away that easily, that Naruto would not just give up. He kept coming to Shikamaru every time the Uchiha was late to training or to eat or to meet or to simply hang out, and really, it began to get really annoying. Because it was so obvious and it was right in front of Naruto's face and Shikamaru knew that Naruto wasn't stupid. Well, not completely anyway. The problem was, he really didn't want to see it.

And yet, he kept asking.

"Neh, Shikamaru! Sasuke was late to training again because he said he was _training_ with _Neji_."

Shikamaru sighed. "Why should I care?"

"Because! Why would he need to train with _Neji_ when he was supposed to be coming to train with _me_?" he asked, bright blue eyes shining.

"Maybe you should ask Sasuke that, not me."

And, as thought the idea had never been presented to him before, Naruto brightened immediately. "Yeah! Yeah! That's a good idea! I will!" Then he was bounding off to presumably find Sasuke.

He hoped that would be the end of it, but he knew it wouldn't be. Sasuke wouldn't answer him truthfully, wouldn't just spell it out for him. And so he was thoroughly annoyed but not surprised when Naruto reported back to him that Sasuke had been a bastard and told him to mind his own business. That just meant that Naruto got to complain to Shikamaru about it. For four hours. Nonstop. He would much prefer to sit for four hours watching the clouds, napping, or hell, watching Chouji eat than listen to Naruto go on about his friendship problems.

So, the two 'geniuses' or Konoha really should not have been surprised when Shikamaru finally gave them up. Naruto, with his normal energy, stormed into Shikamaru's training ground where he was training very hard - (having a nap) – only to complain about Sasuke some more.

"He canceled on me!" Naruto stormed. "Told me that he had more _important_ things to do!"

And Shikamaru was certain that Sasuke had more important things to _do_.

"What the hell could he be doing!?" the blond continued. "I've looked for him everywhere!"

"Did you check Sasuke's apartment?" Shikamaru asked.

Naruto stared at him. "No… what would be doing at his _apartment_?"

"Maybe you should check," he sighed.

"Hm…" A moment later, the blonde was bounding off.

And really, on top of everything else, he should have probably been worried about what his two team members were going to do to him the next day when they realized who had sent Naruto there. But really, that was too troublesome to focus on, so instead – he just leaned back and watched the clouds instead.


	47. Escape

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. Never, never, never!

**Author's Note: **This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

So, this is a really short one, but I really felt the need to write this. Why? Well, if you are caught up in the Manga, you might understand where I'm coming from in this drabble, especially the Sasuke part. Also, for those of you who are curious - this isn't really a spoiler, so I don't mind saying it - the reason that I refer to both Sasuke and Neji as 'birds' is because in the Manga, they have both been described as them. Neji was a 'caged bird', if you all remember. And recently, Sasuke has described himself as a 'hawk'. Others have also used a bird metaphor when describing Sasuke as well. So... just more proof that NejiSasu is PERFECT. Ahem.

Everybody should go read 'Points of Authority' by neko142001. The first chapter is actually ShikaSasu (FTW!? I know!), but if that squicks you or whatever, the second chapter is NejiSasu and it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the first chapter, so you can just skip it. Go read! It's amusing. And yummy. Oh, Sasuke...

Enjoy!

* * *

**Escape**

Everything that Sasuke and Neji did was about escaping. They were always trying to run away from the truth, fate, destiny, and the things that scared them the most. The things that they did not like to talk about. All they had was each other, and they couldn't count on anybody else. Ever since they were small, that had been their driving force.

To escape.

But there was never anywhere to run to. Not really. Neji was always caught by fate, captured and thrown into his cage to never excel. No matter how hard he tried, how hard he worked, he was always the Branch Family Member destined to protect Hinata as she was placed as Head of the clan. He didn't resent his place. Not anymore. In fact, he had given up on getting out of it, of becoming something better. But he still wanted to escape it, to fly away.

Sasuke was his getaway.

But Sasuke was just as trapped as he was. Everywhere that the Uchiha turned, there was somebody always trying to pull his strings. None of his decisions – no matter how much he liked to think otherwise – was those made of his own design. He was always following somebody else's path, somebody else's expectations. He would never really be his own person, never be able to find out who he really was.

Neji was his only saving grace.

Together, they were trapped birds, forever locked by fate. Neither could escape, could fly away as they so wished, so dreamed, so thought. When they were young, it was so easy to believe otherwise, to believe that there was a way out. As they got older, however, it was all too plain to see how trapped they really were.

How useless it was to fight.

No matter how useless it was, however, when they were together, holding each other, kissing, caressing, loving… it was so easy to believe otherwise, to believe that they could get away from it all. To believe that there was still a chance to salvation, to save them from fate, to save them from themselves and their own self-destruction.

Because together, they soared.


	48. Malice

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. Obviously. Just look at this chapter! Jeesh. Dirty.

**Author's Note:** This is YAOI or SLASH or SHOUNEN AI. Whatever you prefer, this is it. Don't like it? Leave. 'Tis that simple.

WARNING: This has kinda, sorta, pretty graphic SEX between an ADULT MALE and a TEENAGE BOY. Please be cautious when venturing further. The hints of NejiSasu here are actually quite small, but it's there. At least, from where I'm standing, but to each his own, I guess. Again, please be very cautious when venturing further, if you don't like what I mentioned before, then don't even read this one. Trust me, it won't effect the rest of the story.

I would just like to point out that I'm an idiot, and last chapter's story was actually called "Tangled Whispers". The author was right, I just got cross-eyed while looking at the story titles. Sorry about that! Anyway, this chapter's recommendation is "Breathless" by Jasmine Starlight. That story actually gave me the inspiration for the beginning of this one. That story has SEX, so ye be warned.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Malice**

Orochimaru's fingers were making bruises in their customary places again. With wispy breaths and pants and hisses that were far too slithery to be moans. Sasuke was thrown over the side of some table or another – Sasuke never really paid enough attention to really care – naked and bare while Orochimaru was all over, around, _inside_ him. But Sasuke didn't care, didn't pay attention. All he knew was the table in front of him, the splintered wood, the intricate designs of age that his eyes bore into as Orochimaru thrust in and out and in again.

There was pain – there was always pain – Orochimaru _loved_ pain, especially pain inflicted on his precious container. It stung and it burned and Sasuke knew he was bleeding now from the wound that Orochimaru had inflicted on his bad for his own pleasurable delight, but he wasn't worried. He tried not to pay attention to that either. Kabuto would heal him later, but right now, all he focused on was the wood of the table.

And Orochimaru was trying to entice a reaction out of him, touching him, hurting him, _everything_ just to hear him _moan_.

Sasuke had more control than that, though. But the smallest hint of a hitch in his breath escaped him, and he could hear the Sannin's laughter in his ear. As though Sasuke could resist _him_. But it was just his body – his damn traitorous body that refused to listen to him.

He squeezed his eyes shut, blocking it out, keeping away.

_Not happening, not happening, not happening…_

His normal mantra.

"When will our next training session be?" he asked, suddenly, his voice flat and even, just as always.

Nails dug into the wooden table as the Sannin continued to go to town with his body, as hands continued to explore his exposed skin. _Exposed, exposed, exposed_. And he tried to block that out with simple normal words. Normal conversation. Because this wasn't happening – _not happening _– and Sasuke hoped that if he told himself that enough times, it would be true.

"So impatient, Sasuke-kun," he practically purred.

"When will it be?" Sasuke repeated in a light growl.

And Orochimaru wasn't confused or surprised by this attempt at Sasuke's form of conversation, because it happened every time. Every. Single. Time. Every time that the Sannin would decide that it was Sasuke's turn to pay up for all of the precious training that he was presenting him with. After all, Sasuke's body was Orochimaru's possession now. Sasuke was just a _thing_.

"Soon," Orochimaru soothed – if that was one called being _soothing_ – his voice never wavering, never showing any signs that he was fucking the boy beneath him and enjoying every second of it, "but I think I will be taking a little detour to my old village before we begin again."

That was new. Sasuke gripped the table a little harder.

"Why?" Suspicious.

Anything that Orochimaru did was cause for suspicion.

Orochimaru was never offended by it. He just laughed as though reprimanding a child. "That's not really any of your concern, Sasuke-kun, but if you really want to know… Kabuto has reported that one Hyuuga Neji has just been promoted to Jounin. Such a strong child… and so beautiful, too. He would be an excellent addition to our little family, wouldn't you agree?"

Sasuke's eyes snapped open, his teeth grinding in his mouth. _Hyuuga Neji... _Beautiful, indeed.

"No," he growled.

"No?" Orochimaru replied, amused. "And why do you say that?"

_Because you would break the Hyuuga, just as you have broken me, but he wouldn't have anything to keep him going._

"_I'm_ your student," he said – but he was more than Orochimaru's student; he was his whore – "until you're done training me, no other 'experiments' are needed to take up your time."

From the way that Orochimaru was starting to speed up, it was obvious that it would be over soon, but Sasuke continued to ignore it, tried to ignore the way that Orochimaru's fingers were dancing across his sensitive skin, tried to ignore the way that the same sensitive skin was responding to his touches against his will, tried to ignore it all. Instead, his focus was on the Hyuuga, on saving his sanity, on keeping him away from this Hell.

Orochimaru laughed. "Alright, if you say so, Sasuke-kun."

The smallest sigh fell past Sasuke's lips as hands continued to crawl across his skin – _exposed, exposed, exposed_. At least somebody was saved, was rescued from having to deal with this torture. And even if it was a small one – _not happening, not happening, not happening_ – it was a victory at least.


End file.
